The Past, Present, and Future
by CeruleanWind
Summary: The four Clans around the lake changed their names. Follow the adventures of SunClan as we tread into mixed feelings of despair and joy.
1. The Past, Present, and Future

**Hello children. So, a few disclaimers before we begin. Some of these paragraphs are confusing time-skips, I realized. I also know that Gingerleaf was supposed to tell Swiftpaw she wasn't allowed to take a mate, but I decided to switch it up a little. Enjoy!**

Swiftkit woke in the nursery. Her mother Redflower was sleeping peacefully next to her. The six-moon-old kit stood up and stretched. Today was the day of her apprentice ceremony! The gray-and-white-with-darker-gray-flecks kit was still not sure if she wanted to be a warrior.

"I guess we'll see what happens," she whispered to herself.

Swiftkit left the nursery and padded into the clearing, nodding to a few cats she knew. Gingerleaf, the medicine cat, Amberstar, the leader, and Brackenpaw, the quiet golden brown apprentice. She admired Brackenpaw's broad shoulders and his warm amber eyes.

She suddenly felt a tail on her back. Swiftkit whipped around to see who it was.

"Relax, it's just me," Amberstar purred. "I want to talk to you."

Swiftkit blinked with shock before shrugging and following the handsome golden leader.

The two sat in Amberstar's den, and Swiftkit fixed the leader with a curious stare. Amberstar was shuffling his paws nervously.

"So?" Swiftkit pressed, her gaze burning like blue fire. "What did I drag myself all the way here for?"

Amberstar's fur bristled at the kit's ill-tempered question, but forced himself to stay calm.

"I've been planning for a moon now how to say this," Amberstar admitted, looking embarrassed. "But, um… some cats, um… like other cats. More than a friend or Clanmate. And one of the cats that I like is you, Swiftkit."

Swiftkit's gaze hardened. "I'm not ready for a mate yet," she spat. "And if I were to have one, it sure wouldn't be you." With that, the small kit left the den with a snort.

Amberstar's head was lowered and his tail thumped onto the ground. With a muffled sob, Amberstar curled up in his nest. The leader just got rejected by a _kit?_ Amberstar felt embarrassed and distressed.

Swiftkit's eyes were burning with hatred. How dare Amberstar make a move on her like that? She was stomping across the clearing, anger flaring from her in waves.

"Swiftkit?"

Swiftkit turned around, sighing softly. She gazed at Brackenpaw. "Hi, Brackenpaw," she mewed.

Brackenpaw swept his tail down Swiftkit's flank, smoothing the ruffled fur. "No need to be so angry. Calm down."

Swiftkit took a few deep breaths, the anger fading from her eyes. "You're right. Thanks, Brackenpaw."

Brackenpaw nodded quickly before padding lightly off to the apprentices' den.

Swiftkit flicked her ears and twisted to groom her pelt for the apprentice ceremony.

Meanwhile, Amberstar was preparing for Swiftkit's ceremony. _I will be her mentor,_ he decided. _It'll teach her._ He stood up and arched his back in a long, satisfying stretch before padding out of his den and onto the huge rock.

"All cats of SunClan, gather to hear my words!" he yowled.

All the cats gathered in a semicircle with Swiftkit standing proudly in the middle. Her head was held high and her shoulders were squared.

"Swiftkit, from this moment until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Swiftpaw. I will be your mentor. May StarClan lead you to be a great warrior."

Swiftpaw's fur bristled, and the anger returned to her eyes. She clenched her teeth and forced herself to touch noses with her new mentor.

"Meeting dismissed," Amberstar meowed with a flick of his tail.

Swiftpaw sighed before padding away to the apprentices' den. She pushed her way in and settled comfortably among the moss. _Brackenpaw must be on patrol._

"Swiftpaw!" Amberstar called gruffly. "Time to see the territories."

Swiftpaw let out a long, low growl. With that, she stood up and stomped after Amberstar. Her hatred for Amberstar had grown to the breaking point.

As soon as they were out in the forest, Swiftpaw's fur began to fluff up with anger. A growl was rumbling in her throat. Amberstar turned around and looked at her with soft amber eyes. "What's wrong?"

Swiftpaw forced her fur to lay flat. "Amberstar. You have to understand that I am not interested in being mates with you."

Amberstar sat down and dipped his head. "I know. I'm so sorry, Swiftpaw. I should have known."

"You should have," Swiftpaw snarled before leaping at the leader. She flew around him, slashing him with merciless blows.

Amberstar was taken aback by Swiftpaw's sudden outburst. "Stop!" he yowled, but the apprentice kept attacking with so much hatred.

Swiftpaw was raking her claws down his flank and watching with satisfaction the blood that seeped out of the scratches. She got off Amberstar's back and stood on the blood-stained grass.

"This is what you get," she hissed. "And I'm switching to be Gingerleaf's apprentice."

Amberstar was trembling with fear and helplessness. "Please, Swiftpaw. I'm so sorry!"

The small apprentice shook her head. "It's too late," she murmured quietly. "I accept your apology, but I never wanted to be a warrior." She padded closer to Amberstar and helped him up, licking gently at his scratches.

Amberstar caught his breath and rested his muzzle on top of the apprentice's head. "You will be a great medicine cat," he purred softly. "I will talk to Gingerleaf tonight." In this small moment of warmth between the two cats, Amberstar's heart was finally filled for the first time.

Swiftpaw was sorting herbs for Gingerleaf. She came across a strange herb that she didn't know. "Gingerleaf, what is this herb?" she asked, genuinely confused.

The ginger tabby she-cat looked over at Swiftpaw. "Oh, that's a borage leaf. It's good for curing fever and helping queens' milk come."

Swiftpaw nodded and stored the leaf with the other borage leaves.

"You know," Gingerleaf purred, "you're becoming a great medicine cat."

Swiftpaw shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Could I go look at Brackenpaw's shoulder again?"

Gingerleaf sighed exasperatedly. "It's the third time today, Swiftpaw. Is it really that bad?"

Swiftpaw's fur grew hot with embarrassment. "No, but I want to make sure he's comfortable."

Gingerleaf swished her tail. "Very well, then."

Swiftpaw bounded out of the den and flew into the apprentices' den.

Brackenpaw looked up from his washing. "Oh hi, Swiftpaw. Back again?"

Swiftpaw ducked her head. "Yes. I want to make sure you're okay," she mewed in a small voice, twitching her ears.

Brackenpaw stretched out in his nest. "Okay. I'm fine, Swiftpaw. But you can look if you want."

Swiftpaw nodded and ran her paws over the apprentice's shoulder. She felt no heat coming from it. "It's probably just a sprain," she decided. "Just stay off it for a few days."

Brackenpaw gazed right into her eyes. "You told me that two times already. I will stay off it, Swiftpaw. Do you not trust me?"

Swiftpaw sat back and curled her tail around her paws, looking away. "Oh, yes, yes, of course I trust you. I just want you to be back on apprentice duties as soon as possible."

Brackenpaw caught her gaze again. "Thank you, Swiftpaw."

Swiftpaw swallowed hard and mewed back, "You're welcome," before turning and dashing back out of the den. She was trembling. Brackenpaw was so nice! She liked him a lot. But she was a medicine cat, and he was a warrior apprentice…

She padded into the medicine den, her tail flicking nonchalantly. "Gingerleaf, shall I check the elders for ticks?" she asked politely.

Gingerleaf shook her head. "I just did that. You're done for the day."

Swiftpaw nodded before backing out of the den. She emerged into the clearing and dragged a thrush out of the fresh-kill pile.

Brackenpaw was limping out into the clearing, relishing the cool air on his face after being stuck in the den for so long. He spotted Swiftpaw by herself at the side of the clearing, nibbling on a thrush wing.

"Swiftpaw?" Brackenpaw mewed. "Can I sit here?"

Swiftpaw jumped with surprise before realizing who it was. "Oh. Yes, of course. Want to share?"

Brackenpaw nodded before carefully settling on the grass, careful not to injure his already hurt shoulder. He gazed right into Swiftpaw's beautiful dark blue eyes. "Swiftpaw, I know you were acting weird today. What's wrong?"

Swiftpaw cast her eyes down, studying her forepaws. "Nothing," she mumbled.

Brackenpaw sighed. "What's wrong?" he repeated.

Swiftpaw swallowed hard. "Brackenpaw… I, um, like you. A lot. More than a friend." She scuffled her paws in the sandy earth embarrassedly.

Brackenpaw stretched out a paw to gently tilt the pretty apprentice's head up. "Swiftpaw," he murmured, "I knew you were acting weird. I like you too. Please, Swiftpaw, meet me here at moonhigh tonight."

Swiftpaw sighed happily, pressing against the other apprentice. "Of course I'll come. I'm already excited."

Brackenpaw nodded and felt Swiftpaw busily rasping her tongue over his injured shoulder.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Swiftpaw asked, her blue eyes soft and caring.

Brackenpaw purred. "Yes, I'm sure." He leaned forward to smooth Swiftpaw's neck fur, which was thick and fluffy.

There was a long silence as the two apprentices shared tongues, the warmth between them hanging in the air like a cloud.

Amberstar approached the two apprentices, the jealousy raging in him like fire.

"Swiftpaw, Gingerleaf wants your help," Amberstar growled.

Swiftpaw nodded and gave Brackenpaw a long look of love and passion before turning to Amberstar. "First, I need to talk to you."

Swiftpaw led the golden leader into the ferns. "Look, I know you still like me," she hissed. "But I like Brackenpaw. You have to understand that."

Amberstar looked away. "I know, I didn't mean to interrupt. But I'll always love you, Swiftpaw."

Swiftpaw lashed her tail irritably before padding off to the medicine den.

Gingerleaf turned around to see her apprentice seething with anger. "What's wrong, Swiftpaw?"

Swiftpaw let out a long sigh. "Nothing. What did you need me to do?"

Gingerleaf turned to the herb stores and pulled out a matted, dusty pile of assorted dried herbs. "Sort these for me, then throw out the tiny scraps."

Swiftpaw sat down, pawing the herbs over to her. "For sure, Gingerleaf."

Gingerleaf stood up and sweeped the herb dust to the side with her tail. "I'm going out to collect herbs," she announced. "You're in charge while I'm gone."

Swiftpaw nodded and proceeded to sort the herbs, watching Gingerleaf leave the den out of the corner of her eye.

A few moments later, Swiftpaw was finished sorting the herbs. She collected the scraps in a leaf wrap and headed out of the den to throw them away.

"Swiftpaw! Is Gingerleaf available? Redflower's hurt!" Hailstep yowled, racing into the camp.

Swiftpaw disposed of the herb scraps. "What's wrong with her?"

Hailstep's eyes were horrified. "Will she be okay? Her foreleg looks like it came off!"

Swiftpaw nodded slowly. "Sounds like she's got a dislocated shoulder," she mewed. "She'll be fine. Let me get a few herbs."

Swiftpaw trotted after Hailstep with a leaf wrap in her jaws. She emerged into a clearing with Redflower lying on her side. The she-cat's eyes were glazed with pain, and her breath came fast.

Swiftpaw unraveled the leaf wrap. "Redflower, I need you to take slow, deep breaths for me."

Redflower closed her eyes and slowed her breathing.

"This is going to hurt," Swiftpaw meowed slowly. She pressed her forepaws onto Redflower's shoulder and dug her hind paws into the grass below. She moved her paws quickly until she heard a pop.

"That should be good," Swiftpaw confirmed. She placed some comfrey leaves onto Redflower's shoulder while giving some thyme to Redflower.

Once the warrior had eaten the thyme, she looked up at her daughter. "Thank you," she mewed shakily.

"It's nothing," she responded briskly. "We should get you back to camp."

Swiftpaw helped Redflower back to camp, supporting one side of her while Hailstep handled the other.

They came into camp and Swiftpaw took Redflower to the medicine den. The she-cat was limping heavily. She didn't want to use her injured foreleg until Gingerleaf said it was okay.

Redflower flopped down in the nest and closed her eyes, panting.

Swiftpaw returned the unused herbs to the herb stores. "Gingerleaf will be back soon. She'll make sure you're okay."

Redflower twitched her ears in response.

"I get it, you're tired. I'll leave you alone now," Swiftpaw murmured, padding softly out of the den.

Gingerleaf was holding a wad of yarrow in her jaws. She dropped it on the ground in front of her. "Swiftpaw! Did anything happen while I was gone?"

"Um…" Swiftpaw shuffled her paws. "Redflower dislocated her shoulder. I put it back into place. She's in your den."

Gingerleaf nodded quickly, picked up the yarrow, and headed into the medicine den.

Swiftpaw continued into the clearing to see her father Pinefang returning from patrol. Swiftpaw bounded over to him. "Great catch!" she praised, her eyes shining. "Redflower was injured today."

Pinefang's eyes clouded with worry. "Is she okay?"

Swiftpaw nodded. "Yes, of course. Gingerleaf's with her now."

Pinefang leaned over to touch his muzzle to his daughter's head for a moment before padding off to the medicine den.

Swiftpaw spotted Brackenpaw at the side of the clearing by himself, gazing out at the Clan. She raced over to him, her eyes sparkling. "Hi, Brackenpaw!" she mewed brightly. "How was your day?"

Brackenpaw looked up with a purr. "It was great. I heard Redflower was injured. Did you help her?"

Swiftpaw settled on the grass beside the golden-brown apprentice. "Yes. Gingerleaf was out gathering herbs at the time."

Brackenpaw nodded approvingly. "Hailstep said it was pretty scary. Anyway, Hailstep also said my warrior assessment is tomorrow!"

Swiftpaw's eyes widened. "Really? Great StarClan, you'll be an amazing warrior." Suddenly Swiftpaw's eyes clouded with pain. "You're going to be so busy with duties! How am I ever going to hang out with you?"

Brackenpaw gasped. "Swiftpaw, don't say that! Of course we can hang out."

Swiftpaw turned her head away. "I don't want to interrupt your responsibilities," she murmured. "We can't do this."

Brackenpaw was staring at Swiftpaw helplessly. "No, please! Swiftpaw!" but Swiftpaw was already headed away, her tail trailing on the ground.

Brackenpaw looked down with a long sigh. That conversation escalated quickly. The sun over the camp began to set, and smother the camp with an orange glow. Brackenpaw stood up and padded toward the medicine den, where he knew Swiftpaw was.

Swiftpaw was curled in her nest, her ears flattened. Of course Brackenpaw and her couldn't be mates. He had way too much responsibility! She heard a cat enter the den, and she looked up.

Brackenpaw stood at the entrance to the den. "Swiftpaw, I need to talk to you," he whispered. "Please."

Swiftpaw heaved herself to her paws and followed Brackenpaw out and behind the apprentices' den.

"Swiftpaw," Brackenpaw began, "please, before I become a warrior, meet me in the clearing at moonhigh. You already said you'd come."

Swiftpaw gazed right into his warm amber eyes. To be honest, it melted her heart to see the warmth in his eyes. "Oh, Brackenpaw, I'm sorry. I overreacted. Of course we can hang out. Please forgive me," she begged.

Brackenpaw shifted to press against the medicine cat apprentice. "I already did, before you even said anything. I'll always be here for you, whatever happens."

Swiftpaw twined her tail with the tom's, breathing in his foresty scent.

Brackenpaw let out a long breath. He could definitely spend the rest of his life at Swiftpaw's side, always.

"Well," Swiftpaw mewed, "I'd better get into my nest. I'll be here at moonhigh."

Brackenpaw reluctantly pulled away. "Yes. I'll see you at moonhigh."

The golden brown apprentice came out from behind the den to see Amberstar blocking his path. "What are you doing here?" Amberstar asked.

"Just making dirt," Brackenpaw replied confidently, squaring his shoulders.

"Well, in that case," Amberstar meowed, "you can use the dirtplace."

Brackenpaw nodded. "Yes, Amberstar."

Amberstar padded off to his den.

Brackenpaw sighed and went into the apprentices' den to curl up in his nest.

Meanwhile, Swiftpaw was entering the medicine den. Gingerleaf stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"So, tell me," Gingerleaf almost purred, "what were you and Brackenpaw doing behind the apprentices' den?"

Swiftpaw met her mentor's gaze strongly. "I love him."

Gingerleaf gave a short nod. "Very well," she meowed. "I went through that once."

Swiftpaw rumbled with amusement as she settled in her nest. "Are medicine apprentices allowed to have mates as long as their mentor is alive?" she asked.

Gingerleaf looked over at her with warm blue eyes. "I'm not sure, but what I am sure of is that we'll make an exception for you."

Swiftpaw rested her head on her paws. "Can you tell me when it's moonhigh?"

"I'm not sure, I'll probably be asleep. Why?"

"Because I promised to meet Brackenpaw," she responded, her fur heating up.

Gingerleaf purred. "Wake yourself up, mouse-brain," she teased gently, flicking her tail over the tips of Swiftpaw's ears.

She watched her mentor fall asleep before she gazed out of the den. After many, many long moments of waiting, she heard Brackenpaw step out into the clearing, his ears twitching.

She carefully edged out of the den, making sure not to disturb Gingerleaf. She padded toward the handsome apprentice, her eyes glowing. "Hi, Brackenpaw," she breathed.

Brackenpaw's amber gaze reflected the love and warmth of her own gaze. "Hi, Swiftpaw. Want to go for a walk?"

Swiftpaw nodded. Brackenpaw purred with laughter and curled his tail over the she-cat's back. "Come on, then!"

Swiftpaw darted off after Brackenpaw. She sped up, haring away into the trees. They slowed to a halt when they came to the lake. The two apprentices gazed out onto the gently rolling waves of the lake.

"I've always thought the lake was beautiful," Brackenpaw murmured. He curled his tail over his paws.

"Well, it's a good thing SunClan is so close to it," Swiftpaw responded, coming to sit by the other cat.

Brackenpaw let out a short purr. "Yes." His eyes suddenly grew serious. "I would gladly spend the rest of my life at your side, Swiftpaw, and protect you from harm."

Swiftpaw leaned into the tom. "I would do the same for you in a heartbeat, Brackenpaw."

Brackenpaw rested his muzzle on her head. The love between the two was crackling violently. "Oh, Swiftpaw. I have always loved you, ever since we were both kits. I would love it if… if we could be mates."

Swiftpaw stiffened. "Really?" Shock pulsed through her. "Are you sure?"

Brackenpaw remained calm, he even closed his eyes in happiness. "Of course I'm sure. You're the one and only cat I'd want by my side. Unless, of course, this is too much for you?"

Swiftpaw twined her tail with Brackenpaw's. "Oh no, I'd be honored." She took a deep breath. "Yes, I'll be your mate."

Brackenpaw's eyes glowed with excitement. "I wonder what my warrior name will be!" He began to name a few. "Brackenstep, Brackenclaw, Brackentail, Brackenheart." He stopped a moment. "Are you going to be okay with me going out on a lot of patrols?"

Swiftpaw gazed out at the lake. The sun had begun to rise. "Of course. Every cat must help out around here. Besides, I have duties too."

"You're right," Brackenpaw sighed. "Well, I guess I should go through some last-moment reviewing for my assessment. Have a good day, Swiftpaw."

Swiftpaw's eyes locked onto Brackenpaw's. "Promise me you'll try hard. For both of us, please. Remember your training."

Brackenpaw nodded. "Yes. By the end of today, I will be a warrior."

Swiftpaw let out a purr. "You will, and I'll be so proud of you. Try hard," she murmured before Brackenpaw padded off into the trees. She followed after a few heartbeats.

Swiftpaw pushed her way into the medicine den. Gingerleaf was there, rising from her nest. "Hello, Swiftpaw. I see you had a nice night." The medicine cat's eyes gleamed with amusement.

Swiftpaw fidgeted uncomfortably. "Yes. Brackenpaw's becoming a warrior today."

Gingerleaf stretched each leg in turn. "Good for him. Can you go out and collect some coltsfoot, please?"

"Sure, Gingerleaf." She padded out of the den and out into the forest. The small medicine apprentice soon came to the clearing where Brackenpaw was doing his battle assessment. She saw Brackenpaw doing complicated flips, grunting with effort. But the thing that impressed her the most was that the two strong warriors assessing him could never win against Brackenpaw.

"Wow," she breathed before turning and trotting off toward the spot where coltsfoot grew. She quickly nipped off a few stems and took them into her jaws.

On her way back to camp, the assessing team was also heading back. Brackenpaw looked exhausted, his fur ruffled and his eyes dull.

"Hello, Swiftpaw," one of the warriors, Blazestorm, meowed politely.

Brackenpaw looked up. "Oh, hi."

Knowing that she had to keep this relationship a secret, she gave a curt nod to the three toms. Underneath her intelligent, brisk gaze, she hid unconditional love.

She sped up to a quick trot and reached the camp before the toms. The gray-furred she-cat entered the medicine den and dropped the coltsfoot stems at Gingerleaf's paws.

"Wow, Swiftpaw. I didn't expect this much. Thanks," Gingerleaf meowed briskly, storing the coltsfoot in the herb stores.

Swiftpaw gave a quick nod and curled up in her nest. Being up all night really was tiring. She heard Gingerleaf settle beside her and begin to groom her fur.

Swiftpaw shuffled a bit, letting out a soft mew. She looked like a kit again, cuddled up against her mother. She let her eyes close and she slipped into sleep.

She woke to the sound of Amberstar's yowl. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the rock for a Clan meeting!"

Swiftpaw groomed herself quickly before trotting out to sit with her Clanmates. Her eyes shone with pride for Brackenpaw. The golden brown tom was sitting at the foot of the rock, eyes bright and pelt smooth.

"This apprentice has successfully trained enough to become a warrior." Amberstar touched his nose to Brackenpaw's head. "He will be known as Brackenflight. StarClan already approves of you, young one."

Brackenflight respectfully dipped his head.

"He will keep vigil tonight," Amberstar finished. "Meeting dismissed."

The cats slipped back into their dens or out into the forest, but Swiftpaw padded toward Brackenflight, her eyes shining with love. "Look at you! A brand new warrior!" The purrs rumbling from her throat were loud ones as she entwined her tail with her mate's.

Brackenflight was purring as well. "It'll be you soon," he reminded the small apprentice.

Swiftpaw leaned into the warmth of the tom. "I've still got a while yet," she purred. "But yes. I'm learning more every day."

Brackenflight gently pulled his tail away from Swiftpaw's and curled it around his mate instead.

Amberstar cleared his throat pointedly. "Brackenflight, please could you join Blazestorm's hunting patrol?"

Brackenflight pulled away from Swiftpaw and gave her a loving lick on the top of her head. "Yes, Amberstar." He padded off to join Blazestorm, Rabbitpaw, and Reedwing.

Swiftpaw gazed at the golden leader. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Actually, yes," he replied, twitching his ears. "I've talked with Gingerleaf, and we decided that even if you're a little young, you've learned almost all the herbs, and you're going to become a full medicine cat tonight."

Swiftpaw let out a gasp. "What?" she squeaked. "I'm not ready yet!"

Amberstar let out a sympathetic purr. "It's a little much, I know. But we know that you're ready."

Swiftpaw calmed down and nodded. "Okay. It is the half-moon tonight, so we'll travel to the Moonlit Clearing tonight."

Amberstar dipped his golden head before quickly trotting away.

Swiftpaw jumped to her paws and bolted out of the camp. She had to tell Brackenflight! She scented the patrol he was in, and was bounding through the forest so fast that everything was a blur.

She skidded to a halt at the patrol's side, and sat gasping for air for a few moments.

Brackenflight twitched his ears curiously. "Swiftpaw? Are you okay?"

Swiftpaw used the last of her strength to jump to her paws again. "Yes, I just need to talk to you."

Brackenflight flicked his tail for the patrol to go on. "So? Is it exciting?"

Swiftpaw struggled to catch her breath from her run. "Absolutely," she gasped. "I'm becoming a full medicine cat tonight!"

Brackenflight let out a loud purr. "You are? Oh, how exciting!"

Swiftpaw's breaths came in quick gasps now. Her eyes were wide and she suddenly fell to the ground. "I know, right?" she rasped before she passed out.

Brackenflight let out a yowl to signal to the patrol. "Help! Swiftpaw's hurt or something!"

Blazestorm came thundering through the forest ahead of Rabbitpaw and Reedwing. "Okay," he meowed with authority. "You and Reedwing, take one of her sides. Me and Rabbitpaw will take her other side."

They were almost at the camp when Swiftpaw let out a gasp. Her eyes blinked open and they filled with surprise. "Where am I?" she rasped weakly.

"You're almost at the camp, Swiftpaw," Blazestorm mewed soothingly. "You had a little accident."

Swiftpaw tried to walk on her own, but she gratefully let the other four cats carry her.

They got to the camp and let Swiftpaw stumble the last few pawsteps into her den.

Swiftpaw collapsed into her nest, and Gingerleaf turned, her eyes widening with curiosity. "Swiftpaw? What happened to you?"

Swiftpaw's blue eyes were closed with exhaustion. "It's best you ask Brackenflight," she croaked.

Gingerleaf let out a huff of exasperation before padding out to talk to Brackenflight.

"So, what happened to Swiftpaw?" Gingerleaf queried, her eyes narrowed.

Brackenflight's eyes looked horrified. "She ran through the forest to catch up with my patrol. When she stopped, she was gasping and wheezing for air. I didn't know what was happening, or what to do," Brackenflight replied, his voice shaking. "Is she okay?"

Gingerleaf sighed, glancing back at the den entrance. "I think so. She probably has some mild breathing issues. She's asleep now though, don't bother her."

Brackenflight leaned forward slightly. "Can't you give her some herbs or something to fix it?"

Gingerleaf nodded. "Don't worry about it. She'll be fine. Now, get on with your patrol. Swiftpaw needs her rest before traveling to the Moonlit Clearing tonight."

Brackenflight dipped his golden brown head before trotting quickly away.

Gingerleaf flicked her ears before padding quietly back into the medicine den to check Swiftpaw's breathing.

Swiftpaw blinked open her eyes to see Gingerleaf gazing down at her. "What happened?" she asked.

Gingerleaf blinked patiently. "You had some breathing issues, dear. You'll be fine before tonight."

Swiftpaw rose quickly from her nest, her eyes wide. "Right! I'm getting my full-." She was cut off by a coughing fit. After containing herself she began again. "I'm getting my full name tonight. My throat feels as dry as sand," she complained.

Gingerleaf stood aside to let the medicine apprentice lap at the pool running into the medicine den. "What do you think would help your breathing, Swiftpaw?" Gingerleaf asked, grinning.

Swiftpaw stood up and twitched her whiskers to rid them of the water drops. "Coltsfoot, of course!" Her mew was a rasping purr. "Maybe tansy too."

"Precisely," Gingerleaf mewed, pulling out a few coltsfoot leaves. "Eat up."

Swiftpaw obediently ate the herbs and lay back in her nest. "Can… can I see Brackenflight? I want to thank him."

"He's out on patrol, little one." Gingerleaf's voice sounded so motherly.

"I won't be little for much longer," Swiftpaw retorted lightly, faking an offended expression.

Gingerleaf stood up and nudged Swiftpaw's flank. "Here, I'll teach you a few exercises to help you breathe better."

Swiftpaw was trying to catch the moss ball that Gingerleaf threw to her many times over. She was panting hard. Swiftpaw was so concentrated that she didn't see Brackenflight gazing into the den anxiously. He let out a soft mew to announce his arrival.

Swiftpaw stopped and sat down to catch her breath. Gingerleaf waved her tail at the tom. "Hello, Brackenflight. Come on in."

Swiftpaw lapped at the water-filled moss in front of her. Her normal voice was finally back. "Thank you, Brackenflight. I heard you helped me back to camp."

The golden brown tom touched his nose to her head. "You know I'd give my last breath to save your life," he purred.

Swiftpaw felt her fur become hot. She quickly changed the subject. "I… I never got to finish earlier," she mumbled. "I'm so excited to get my full name."

Brackenflight began to groom Swiftpaw's ruffled fur with long, smooth strokes. "Of course you are," he meowed between licks. Swiftpaw let out a rumbly purr, watching Gingerleaf leave the den.

"You probably need some rest, Swiftpaw. Just go to sleep…" Brackenflight murmured, lying down beside Swiftpaw and pressing his fur to hers.

Swiftpaw closed her eyes, nuzzling into Brackenflight's fluffy neck fur. "Oh, Brackenflight, I love you," she purred before drifting off to sleep.

"I love you too, Swiftpaw," Brackenflight whispered, licking the top of her head before quietly leaving the den.

Swiftpaw was roused from her nest by Gingerleaf. "Come on, sleepyhead," the medicine cat teased. "Groom yourself before we go."

Swiftpaw sat up drowsily, her eyes bleary with sleep. She started to groom her fur, making it sleek and glossy.

Gingerleaf watched her apprentice with amusement glowing in her eyes. She leaned over and groomed the top of Swiftpaw's head and ears.

Swiftpaw blinked with satisfaction. "Okay. Let's go!" she mewed joyfully.

The two medicine cats made their way to the Moonlit Clearing. The medicine cats from LeafClan, PoolClan and DarkClan were there as well.

Gingerleaf cleared her throat importantly. "Before we start, I wish to make Swiftpaw a full medicine cat," Gingerleaf meowed smoothly.

Swiftpaw ducked her head, embarrassed.

"She has learned all the skills needed to be a medicine cat. From now on, Swiftpaw, you will be known as Swiftblaze. May StarClan help you to be a great medicine cat."

All the medicine cats curled up on the soft grass, their fur washed with moonlight.

Swiftblaze blinked once, and she was back in the SunClan camp. It was empty. She padded into all the dens, but no. Everyone was gone, except for her. The young medicine cat narrowed her eyes with confusion. She blinked again, and she was back in the Moonlit Clearing.

The other medicine cats were rising around her, yawning. Swiftblaze looked away, already heading back to the SunClan camp. Gingerleaf hurried after her, murmuring a quick farewell to the other medicine cats.

Swiftblaze kept a steady pace, a few pawsteps ahead of her mentor. Gingerleaf tried to keep up, but Swiftblaze quickened her step as well.

"Swiftblaze, is something wrong?" Gingerleaf asked quietly.

Swiftblaze looked down, stopping in her tracks. "Yes," she sighed. "I had this… weird dream, tonight at the Clearing."

Gingerleaf nudged her apprentice onward, walking beside the small cat. "Go on."

"Well, I was in the SunClan camp, and it was empty. No cat was there, except for me. Do you think it's a prophecy of some sort?"

Gingerleaf shuffled her paws. "We'll worry about that when it starts to happen," she meowed briskly.

Swiftblaze nodded, feeling comforted.

The two medicine cats went into the camp and immediately curled up in their nests to escape the leaf-bare cold.

Swiftblaze gazed out into the frosty clearing, and Brackenflight was sitting there, shivering. Oh, no. What's wrong?

Swiftblaze quietly left the den and padded toward her mate. "Are you okay?" she whispered.

Brackenflight leaned into the warmth of her fur, his eyes glazed with pain. "It's so cold that my teeth hurt," he rasped.

"Why are you not in the warriors' den?" she queried.

"My nest isn't quite built yet," Brackenflight coughed.

"Oh, you silly furball. Come into my nest for the night."

Brackenflight followed gratefully, tiptoeing into the medicine den and curling around Swiftblaze's body, snuggling down into the nest.

"Goodnight," Swiftblaze breathed as quiet as she could.

Brackenflight was already asleep, filling the den with quiet snores.

The nest morning, Swiftblaze woke normally, still tucked against her mate. Brackenflight was lying very still, careful not to disturb her. "Good morning, my love," he whispered, licking Swiftblaze's ear lovingly. "You never told me your new name."

"It's Swiftblaze," the small medicine cat purred.

"Well," Brackenflight murmured, "good morning, Swiftblaze."

The two cats scrambled out of the nest, their fur ruffled with sleep. Gingerleaf looked at them quizzically. "Why is Brackenflight here?"

Swiftblaze purred, turning to face her mentor. "His nest isn't built yet, and he was out in the clearing last night freezing to death."

Gingerleaf nodded briskly before padding out of the den. "I'm going to go check on Redflower real quick."

Swiftblaze reached up to touch her nose to Brackenflight's head. "Have a nice day, Brackenflight," she whispered. "I'm going to get a little more sleep."

Brackenflight purred. "Sweet dreams, my Swiftblaze." He leaned down and rested his muzzle on top of her head for a moment before leaving.

Swiftblaze curled back up in her nest and closed her luminous blue eyes. Sleep quickly enfolded her.

She woke in a beautiful clearing beside a crystal-clear pool. She stood up and gazed around. Was this another of her crazy dreams? She saw a few starry shapes floating down to meet her.

"Hello, Swiftblaze," one of the spirits meowed. "My name is Bluestar. I've come a long way, all the way from ThunderClan.

Bluestar's outline was incredibly faint, her blue-gray pelt almost invisible.

"U-um… are you a StarClan cat?"

Bluestar nodded, her beautiful blue eyes glowing with amusement. "And we've come here to tell you something important. This is Firestar," she waved to the bright orange tom with warm green eyes. "And this is Bramblestar." She flicked her tail at a dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

Swiftblaze felt so small compared to the noble leaders of ThunderClan. "You're my ancestors…" she breathed. "All the Clans around the lake changed their names. All kits hear that story. And ThunderClan became SunClan."

"That is correct, young one. But this is not what we're here to tell you. It will change your life forever," Firestar purred.

Swiftblaze swallowed nervously, the scent of fear rising from her.

Bluestar stepped in front of the two toms, flicking her tail dismissively. They padded away with no sound.

Bluestar took a deep breath, her eyes shining into Swiftblaze's. "You're going to have kits," she announced.

Swiftblaze gasped. "What?"

"It's going to be hard for you. But you have to accept it."

Swiftblaze leaned down to lick her chest fur. "Okay," she mewed anxiously.

Bluestar leaned forward. "I'm not the right cat to tell you what will happen next. But I will tell you that you're having kits, and yes, they are Brackenflight's."

Swiftblaze nodded briskly before appearing back in the medicine den. She felt a tiny movement deep inside her, and she winced, covering her belly with her tail. _Perhaps I should tell Gingerleaf,_ she thought.

She leaned over to look into Gingerleaf's eyes. "I'm going to have kits," she sighed.

Gingerleaf blinked with surprise. "Really? Oh, Swiftblaze…"

Swiftblaze lowered her head miserably. "Will you punish me?"

"Great StarClan, no!" Gingerleaf yelped. "I'll help you as much as I can, Swiftblaze."

Swiftblaze sighed. "Should I tell Amberstar?"

Gingerleaf sighed as well. "I suppose you should, and tell Brackenflight too."

Swiftblaze nodded before padding out of the den and arriving at Amberstar's den. "Amberstar?" she called softly.

The golden leader was lying in his nest, his eyes bright. "Swiftpaw! Are you okay?"

Swiftblaze ducked her head. "Not really. And I'm Swift _blaze_ now."

Amberstar nodded. "So, what's wrong?"

"I'm going to have kits, Amberstar," she announced, shuffling her paws.

Amberstar's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, that was sudden. Well, that's great news! I hope your kits will be strong warriors." His amber eyes were wistful. "I wish they would be mine."

Swiftblaze touched her nose to his head comfortingly. "Thank you, Amberstar. I know it's against the warrior code for me to have kits, but…"

Amberstar nodded sympathetically. "Make sure to tell Brackenflight!" he called after her when she left the den.

Swiftblaze spotted Brackenflight sitting at the edge of the clearing, talking to Rabbitpaw. "Brackenflight!" she yowled, leaping over to him.

Brackenflight looked up in surprise. "Swiftblaze? What's wrong?" Rabbitpaw looked up as well, his green eyes curious.

"Um…" She shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Rabbitpaw. "Sorry, but it's only for Brackenflight," she meowed.

Rabbitpaw was uncomfortable as well, the awkwardness sparking between them like lightning. "Oh, er, sorry." The dusky brown apprentice quickly hurried away.

Brackenflight turned to her, love shining in his amber eyes. "Yes?"

"I'm going to have kits," she breathed, her neck fur spiking up.

Brackenflight gasped, his eyes wide. "Oh, Swiftblaze, you'll be such a great mother," he purred, twining his tail with his mate's.

Swiftblaze leaned closer until she could feel his breath on her cheek. "You'll be such a good father," she murmured quietly.

Brackenflight purred loudly. The warmth and love between the two cats was almost unimaginable. "Was Amberstar okay with it?"

"Of course. He still loves me," Swiftblaze pointed out quietly.

Brackenflight's eyes widened, all of his mate's behavior falling into place. "Amberstar asked you to be his mate on the day you were apprenticed," he whispered.

Swiftblaze nodded. "I said no, of course. I was way too young for him."

Brackenflight gently pulled away. "That's great news about the kits, Swiftblaze. Now, let me and Rabbitpaw finish." His eyes sparkled with laughter. "I'll see you later."

Swiftblaze nodded and went over to murmur into Rabbitpaw's ear. "We're done," she purred.

She padded past the brown apprentice and back into the medicine den. The small medicine apprentice felt another tiny movement within her belly. She shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Gingerleaf. "Is… is it normal for kits to move around?"

Gingerleaf nodded. "Of course. They're growing. If you have any pain, tell me right away, okay?"

Swiftblaze stretched out on her nest, watching her mentor move about the herb stores.

Gingerleaf looked back at her with a horrified expression. "You're drenched in blood," she whispered. "StarClan has something bad planned for you."

Swiftblaze's eyes widened. "What?" She swallowed anxiously.

Gingerleaf shook her head quickly. "The blood is gone, young one. You'll be fine."

Swiftblaze was still wary as she eyed her mentor suspiciously. "Well, good night, Gingerleaf," she sighed at last. She curled her tail protectively over her belly as she closed her eyes.

The young medicine cat's dreams were taken from her that night. She was in a world of blackness for the whole night. When she finally woke, the dawn light was pouring into the den.

Swiftblaze sat up slowly, wincing as the kits writhed inside of her. She glanced over at her mentor, who was motionless, not even the rise and fall of her flank that showed her breathing.

She leaped from her nest and nudged her mentor. "Gingerleaf? Gingerleaf, wake up! You need to help me deliver my kits!"

The orange tabby medicine cat didn't stir. Her fur was cold as ice.

Swiftblaze let out a wail of grief. "How did you die?!" She pressed her nose into her mentor's fur for a few moments before sinking her teeth into her mentor's scruff and hauling her out of the den.

As she dragged Gingerleaf's body into the clearing, more cats emerged from their dens with grief shining in their eyes.

Swiftblaze let out a long sigh as Brackenflight came over, making no sound, and pressed against her comfortingly. She twined her tail with his and rested her head on his shoulder.

Amberstar emerged from his den, his face grim. "I suppose Gingerleaf died of natural causes," he sighed. "So, Swiftblaze is our full medicine cat, but…" He turned his head away, flattening his ears. "Would you like to tell them, Swiftblaze?"

Brackenflight let out a soft sigh. "I guess you have to," he whispered.

"I'm expecting kits," Swiftblaze mewed softly.

Murmurs erupted from everywhere, and Swiftblaze lowered her head.

"Silence!" Amberstar roared. "We will help Swiftblaze as much as we can, before and after her kits are born. Does any cat wish to become Swiftblaze's assistant for a few moons?"

A young brown tabby she-cat, Mousepool, raised her tail. Half of her hind leg was mauled by a dog, and she had to retire to the elders' den.

"Very well, Mousepool. Swiftblaze will teach you everything she knows before her kits are born."

Swiftblaze gazed over at Mousepool, whose eyes were shining with pride.

"Meeting dismissed. Let's get Swiftblaze, Mousepool, Brackenflight, Rabbitpaw, and Hailstep to prepare Gingerleaf's body for the vigil," Amberstar mewed softly before going back into his den.

Swiftblaze glanced at the cats that were chosen before disappearing into her den to collect some herbs.

Brackenflight blinked, stepping closer to Gingerleaf's body and positioning the dead medicine cat to look like she was sleeping.

Swiftblaze came out of her den, her eyes big pools of grief as she dropped the herbs onto the ground. "Mint and rosemary," she announced, picking up a pinecone from the ground and gently brushing it through Gingerleaf's fur.

The cats had finished by sunhigh. The Clan returned back to their normal days, most of the warriors going out on patrol.

Swiftblaze stepped closer to Brackenflight, pressing against him, wishing for silent comfort. Brackenflight touched his nose to her ear. "Come with me," he whispered.

Swiftblaze stood up and followed, her tail drooping. They came to the lakeshore, and Brackenflight settled on the grass. "Come," he invited. "Take a break from this chaos. Warm your fur in the sun."

Swiftblaze felt a purr rumbling in her throat as she lay down on the grass beside Brackenflight, leaning into the warmth of his fur. The sun's rays settled on her pelt and made her drowsy.

"Go to sleep, my love," Brackenflight murmured, touching his muzzle to her head for a moment.

The sun evaporated all of Swiftblaze's worries, and she lay on the grass contently, pressed against her mate. She let sleep take her into its soft black paws.

Swiftblaze woke on the grass just a little after sunhigh. Brackenflight was still beside her, gazing out at the lake. "We can do this for as long as you want," he purred, almost reading her mind.

Swiftblaze slowly shook her head, feeling her burdens fall onto her shoulders again. "I have to train Mousepool, and I still have to have our kits, and- oh, Brackenflight! Why does StarClan have to make my life miserable?"

Brackenflight was silent for a moment. "Our kits will be great warriors. I know this time will be hard for you, Swiftblaze, but you have to try. For both of us."

Swiftblaze let out a long sigh. "You're right," she meowed softly. "I will try my hardest."

Brackenflight let out a loving purr, licking gently at Swiftblaze's neck fur. "I know you will. Now go on, and if you're feeling down, come right to me."

Swiftblaze nodded, closing her eyes once more for a few heartbeats before standing up. She felt the kits move inside her, and she squared her shoulders.

She trotted back to camp, her worries lifted off her shoulders. "Mousepool!" she called, her pretty dappled pelt shining in the sun.

The brown tabby she-cat came hopping over. "Great! Are you going to start training me?" Her voice was excited, her green eyes glowing.

"Yes," Swiftblaze meowed. "Come in here, and let me show you…"

The sun was setting over the camp, and Mousepool emerged from the medicine den, looking tired. Swiftblaze followed closely, her eyes scanning the camp for her mate. She located him selecting a piece of prey from the fresh-kill pile. "Brackenflight!" she called happily, bounding over.

Brackenflight looked up, delight shining in his eyes. "Swiftblaze! Oh, you look so happy!"

Swiftblaze let out a content purr. "Yes, it's been a good day," she mewed. "It'll be even better once our kits are born," she whispered, her eyes glowing.

Redflower passed her daughter with an irritated look at her. Swiftblaze turned, confused. "Redflower?"

Redflower turned back around and let out a soft hiss. "You broke the medicine cat code," she snarled.

Swiftblaze looked at her mother helplessly before turning back to Brackenflight and pressing her nose into his shoulder fur.

Brackenflight gently guided her to the side of the clearing and dropped a rabbit on the grass. "Eat," he urged. "Redflower will forgive you eventually."

Swiftblaze nodded and sank her teeth into the fresh prey. Her hunger was finally filled, she hadn't eaten all day. Their fur touched, golden brown against gray. Rabbitpaw padded over and nodded to his friends. "May I share with you?" he asked politely.

Brackenflight flicked his ears, grinning. "Sure," he replied nonchalantly.

The three cats shared the monstrous rabbit, chatting quietly about their days.

Rabbitpaw was content as well. "Reedwing says my assessment is tomorrow," he announced proudly, his eyes shining. He didn't mind that the other two cats were awfully close, not really paying attention.

Swiftblaze purred, letting her flanks bulge. "That's great, Rabbitpaw," she drawled lazily, rolling onto her side.

Rabbitpaw shifted his paws, flicking his tail. "Sorry about my asking, but when are your kits due?" he asked.

Swiftblaze gazed up at him, an amused rumble escaping from her. "In a half-moon," she purred.

Rabbitpaw nodded. All three cats were feeling plump and happy because of the prey-rich greenleaf. Especially Swiftblaze.

"Well," Brackenflight sighed happily, "I should be getting to my nest. Long day tomorrow!" he joked, trotting off to the warriors' den.

"Same," Rabbitpaw purred, following the golden brown warrior but turning at the last moment to disappear into the apprentices' den.

Swiftblaze hauled herself to her paws with some effort and lumbered off to the medicine den. Mousepool was already in there, scanning the herb stores with intelligent green eyes. "Swiftblaze, if you need anything, I'll be right here," Mousepool meowed, her tail-tip flicking to and fro.

Swiftblaze flopped down into her nest with a satisfied sigh. "Of course, Mousepool. I'll be fine."

Mousepool nodded, sinking down into Gingerleaf's old nest. It was better suited for her than Swiftblaze's small nest, made to fit the small medicine cat's body.

Swiftblaze let her eyes close as she snuggled down into the moss of her nest. She heard soft scuffling noises made by Mousepool, then she heard the brown she-cat's voice. "Swiftblaze, you have a visitor."

Swiftblaze opened her eyes to see Amberstar standing at the entrance to her den. "Do you have a moment?" he asked, shifting his weight from side to side.

"Just give me a second," she grunted, shuffling around in her nest. "Okay, go for it."

"I had this dream," he meowed, "about the SunClan camp. It was all empty, except for me. Do you know what it could mean?"

Swiftblaze stared at him in shock. "I… I had the same dream!" she exclaimed. "I don't know what it means."

Amberstar shook his great golden head. "Huh," he grunted, flicking his ears. "Well, thanks anyway." He padded off.

Swiftblaze sat up slowly, now unable to sleep, and stifled a gasp of pain. She felt a kick deep in her belly.

Mousepool started, hearing the movement. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I think so," Swiftblaze sighed. "It's all so hard! I'd never imagine kits being so difficult." A wave of deep sadness washed over her, and she flattened her ears.

Mousepool curled back up. "You'll be okay once your kits are born," she murmured.

Swiftblaze stretched out on her nest with a sigh, letting her belly bulge. She shuffled around until about moonhigh and looked over at Mousepool. The she-cat was sleeping soundly. The small medicine cat decided to go sit by the lake for a while, to feel cool air on her face.

She lumbered down to the lakeshore and settled on the same spot she had basked in with Brackenflight. She closed her eyes, relishing the coolness, before she slipped into sleep.

Swiftblaze was woken from her sleep by some sharp pains within her belly. She shrugged it off. _Must've eaten a bad rabbit,_ she thought. But the pain kept coming, worse and worse. She flattened her ears, kneading the grass with her front paws. The pain kept coming.

Swiftblaze tilted her head back and let out a yowl of pain. _My kits are coming early,_ she decided grimly, feeling the agony of birth wash over her. She tried her best to push, her wails of pain being heard at the camp now. She gasped in between yowls, the kits weren't coming out. Blood started to trickle out. Darkness pushed at the edge of her vision. _This is the end!_ The medicine cat thought sadly, pushing as hard as she could. Finally, a kit slid out. She used the last of her remaining strength to pull the kit close to her, nip the sac, and start licking it fiercely. She let her head fall back with a moan of pain as she felt the kit begin to feed. There was a dull throbbing inside her, she knew that there was another kit. The small she-cat didn't have any strength left to push, and instead closed her eyes. Blood was still trickling out, covering her fur in crimson. The darkness finally overcame her, and she let out her last long breath.

Paws pounded through the forest. "The wails stopped!" Blazestorm announced. "We should go check in case."

The three warriors emerged onto the lakeshore and saw the lifeless body of a medicine cat. One of her kits was feeding strongly, one was completely still. Blood pooled along the grass.

Brackenflight let out a grief-stricken yowl, bounding toward his deceased mate. "Swiftblaze!" he screeched. He quickly began to lick the other kit's fur until the little tom gave a thin wail.

Brackenflight's breaths came in quick gasps. "Oh, Swiftblaze," he moaned despondently.

Brackenflight and Hailstep gently picked up one kit and started to head back to camp, while Blazestorm took the dead medicine cat onto his back. With grief-filled gazes, the three toms made their way back to camp.

Blazestorm carefully laid the dead she-cat onto the ground, choking with emotion. Amberstar slowly came out of his den, his eyes closed. "Who is it this time?" he asked softly.

Brackenflight lowered his head with a sob. "It's Swiftblaze," he choked out, slumping to the ground.

Amberstar's eyes shot open and he leaped to the ground and bounded over to the dead medicine cat. "Where are her kits?" he sighed.

Brackenflight gently moved the kits into view. "May I name them?"

Amberstar dipped his head. "Go ahead."

"This one," Brackenflight purred, running a paw along a black she-cat's back, "is Sootkit."

Murmurs of approval rumbled through the Clan.

"And this one," he went on, touching a golden brown tom, "is Adderkit."

Amberstar nodded with approval. "You can give the kits to Reedwing." Reedwing had just given birth to Blazestorm's kit a few days ago.

Brackenflight gently took the two kits in his mouth and padded off to the nursery. "Reedwing," he mumbled around the tiny cats, "can you take care of me and Swiftblaze's kits? She… she died giving birth."

Reedwing gasped. "Poor Swiftblaze! Of course I'll take care of them. What are their names?"

Brackenflight placed the two kits at Reedwing's belly, beside her kit. "The black one is Sootkit and the golden brown one is Adderkit. Please tell them who their real mother is." There was desperation in the young tom's eyes.

Reedwing let out a drowsy purr. "Of course. Could you go check if Mousepool knows what she's doing?"

Brackenflight nodded, hesitating before padding quietly out of the den. He gazed longingly at Swiftblaze's lifeless body, walking over to her and pressing his nose into her ice-cold fur. He was so lost in grief that he didn't notice Amberstar approach and do the same thing.

"Brackenflight?" Amberstar meowed softly, lifting his head.

Brackenflight started. "Yes?"

"Did Swiftblaze tell you that I liked her?"

Brackenflight lifted his head as well, gazing into Amberstar's eyes. "Yes, she did. Why did you tell her when she was so young?"

Amberstar shivered. "I… I couldn't wait."

Brackenflight inhaled loudly and stood up. "I have to talk to Mousepool real quick."

Amberstar nodded and sat down in the shade of the Highledge.

Brackenflight padded into Mousepool's den. "Mousepool, can I have a word?"

The brown tabby she-cat sat up. "Of course. What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to check if you were okay. Swiftblaze taught me a few herbs too."

Mousepool let out an amused purr. "Of course I'm okay. It's sad being without Swiftblaze, but I think I'll manage."

Brackenflight purred, swishing his tail. "That's good," he meowed. "Besides, I have my kits to raise."

Mousepool twitched her ears. "Yes. They'll be fine warriors. Little Adderkit looks powerful already."

Brackenflight nodded, puffing out his chest proudly. "Well, I'd best be going. Good luck, Mousepool."

The brown she-cat flicked her tail briskly. "Same for you."

The golden brown warrior exited the den and settled on the grass of the clearing, the sun shining on his pelt. He gazed over at the nursery. Reedwing's kit was poking her head out of the nursery, the sun shining on the cream fur for the first time.

Brackenflight stood up and started to make his way to the nursery. _Since I have nothing better to do…_ He pushed his way in, quietly.

"Reedwing?" he whispered. "I've come to check on them."

"Come in," Reedwing invited. "Their eyes are open, but Sootkit refuses to go out until Adderkit is ready."

Sootkit had beautiful blue eyes, just like her mother. Adderkit had amber eyes, like Brackenflight. He let out a purr. "Hello, kits."

Sootkit stood up, her tail flicking from side to side. "Hi! Reedwing told me that Brackenflight is our father! Are you Brackenflight?"

Brackenflight settled on the moss of the nursery, letting his kits climb over him. "Yes, I'm Brackenflight. Did Reedwing tell you about your mother, Swiftblaze?"

"Yes!" Adderkit piped up, pouncing on his father's tail. "She died! Isn't that sad?"

Brackenflight dipped his head. "Yes. She will be a great loss to her Clan."

Reedwing's kit tottered into the nursery, her green eyes shining. "Oh, Sootkit, the camp's so big! You should really come!"

Sootkit stared at the other kit. "Not until Adderkit is ready," she decided firmly.

"My name's Brightkit!" Reedwing's kit squeaked, spotting Brackenflight.

Adderkit stood up and trotted over to the den entrance. "I'm ready," he purred to his sister. Sootkit leaped up and shot out of the nursery, followed by the other two kits.

Brackenflight watched them go and turned to Reedwing. "They're such a blessing," he sighed. "It's too bad that Swiftblaze was out of camp when she started giving birth, and she didn't have the right herbs."

Reedwing dipped her head with sadness. "At least the kits were born, and didn't die with her."

Brackenflight nodded and stood up. "I should probably go. I have patrols to do."

Reedwing nodded. "Of course. Thanks for popping by."

Brackenflight trotted out of the nursery, purring as he saw the kits, and over to the deputy, Pinefang. "Hey, do I need to do any patrols?" he asked.

The brown tom shook his head. "No. You're excused from duties today. I thought you might be a little sad."

Brackenflight let out a long sigh, gazing over at Swiftblaze's lifeless body. "I suppose so. I guess it'd be fun to play with my kits too."

Pinefang nodded, deep sadness in his gaze as well. Brackenflight recalled that Pinefang was Swiftblaze's father. "Well, thanks," he murmured.

Brackenflight turned, padded to the side of the clearing, and picked up a small ball of moss. He threw it at the three kits. "Catch the moss ball, kits!" he called affectionately.

Sootkit jumped up, catching the moss ball between two black forepaws, and tossed it to Brightkit. She blinked her blue eyes and stretched up to catch it again.

Adderkit tackled Sootkit and stole the moss ball from her paws with a squeak of triumph.

Brackenflight rumbled with amusement, sitting down to watch. _Swiftblaze would have loved to play with them,_ he thought.

Adderkit flung the moss ball at his father, hitting him in the shoulder. Brackenflight turned, laughter glowing in his amber eyes, and tossed it back.

Sootkit jumped in front of him and caught the moss in the air, bounding away with the two kits scrambling after her.

Brackenflight nodded with approval and trotted out of the camp and into the forest, desperate to be alone with his thoughts.

 **Well, I really had trouble ending this one. So, please make sure to review. For sure, I'll make a sequel.**


	2. The Past, Present, and Future 2

**Hi! Here's part 2 of this story! I just wanted to clarify a few things. First, I thought Mousepool's leg was a little bit weird, so I kind of mentioned it as Cinderpelt's kind of leg. Also, this story has same gender pairs and some very creepy stuff to do with Mousepool. I won't spoil anything! Anyways, enjoy, and be sure to review.**

Sootkit woke beside her brother, Adderkit. The golden brown tom was sleeping peacefully next to her. The black she-kit scrambled out of the nest and stood in the nursery, looking over at her sick friend, Brightkit. The cream she-kit's fur was ruffled, and a horrible stench of sickness rose from her pelt.

Sootkit wrinkled her nose and peered over the edge of the nest, unknowingly waking Brightkit's mother, Reedwing, up. The cream-furred queen rose her head. "Good morning, Sootkit," she whispered.

The pure black kit didn't take her gaze away from her friend. "Do you want me to ask Mousepool for herbs?" she asked.

Reedwing curled her tail protectively around her kit. "Sure," she breathed in a 'I gave up long ago' tone.

Sootkit stared at her adoptive mother. "You mustn't give up, Reedwing. We will make Brightkit better."

Reedwing stifled a sob, shifting around in her nest. Sootkit settled beside her friend and started to groom her ruffled fur.

Reedwing watched in silence for a few moments until Sootkit got up and left the den.

The five-moon-old kit trotted across the clearing. Her body was becoming slim and supple, a great change from the fluffy kit she used to be. She pushed past the screen of lichen shielding the medicine den, and encountered Mousepool lying fresh herbs out to dry. The brown tabby she-cat looked up. "Hello, Sootkit. What can I do for you?"

"Make Brightkit better," Sootkit replied promptly. "I think…" She thought for a moment. "I think catmint, tansy, coltsfoot, and juniper berries would help."

Mousepool nodded and pulled out the herbs Sootkit had mentioned. She folded them in a leaf wrap and dropped it at Sootkit's black paws.

Sootkit briskly took the leaf wrap in her mouth and charged out of the den, bounding gracefully across the camp and into the nursery.

She released a sigh as she placed the leaf wrap on the ground and unraveled the leaf, revealing the herbs.

Reedwing gently shook her kit awake with a paw. Brightkit stirred and sat up, trembling weakly. "Sootkit?" She blinked. "Do you have herbs for me?"

"Indeed," Sootkit meowed. "Eat all these for me, then I'll get you a nice juicy mouse to wash the taste away."

Brightkit leaned forward and ate half the herbs, then fell back in her nest, panting.

"Brightkit," Sootkit mewed sadly, "remember when we used to play moss ball with Brackenflight? If you eat all the herbs, we can play it again."

Brightkit's amber eyes widened. She leaned forward again and ate the rest of the herbs. She struggled to her paws, but Sootkit could see weariness in every movement Brightkit made.

Sootkit waited patiently. She didn't see Adderkit creep up behind her and watch.

Brightkit stretched luxuriously. She had been confined to the nursery by Mousepool for a moon now. The cream kit slowly padded out of the nursery, squinting as the sunlight hit her eyes. Sootkit and Adderkit followed, watching in amazement.

Brightkit padded over to the little stream that ran through the camp, and bent her head to take a drink of water that didn't taste of moss.

Blazestorm watched his kit emerge into the camp, looking a little better, with an expression of pure happiness on his face. He bounded over to greet his daughter. "Brightkit!" he called, delighted. Brightkit looked up, her eyes still dull. "Father!" she croaked back. "I'm almost better. Sootkit gave me some herbs."

Blazestorm turned his head to look at Sootkit. The black she-cat fidgeted uncomfortably. "Any cat would have done the same," she mumbled.

Mousepool limped out of her den. Her eyes widened when she saw Brightkit. "Oh, Sootkit! It really helped!"

Sootkit looked up at Mousepool. "I suppose."

"You know," Mousepool meowed thoughtfully, "I think you'd make a good medicine cat. You knew what to do for Brightkit, didn't you?"

Sootkit tilted her head. "Yeah, I guess I did," she sighed at last.

Blazestorm, Adderkit, and Brightkit were staring at her, almost urging her to say yes. Her icy blue eyes were wide with shock. "I-I don't know," she stammered. "I'll have to think about it."

Adderkit came to sit by her side as Mousepool hopped away on three legs. "She's right, you know," he murmured in his sister's ear. "You'd be an excellent medicine cat."

Sootkit stood quickly, her tail flicking. "Maybe," she meowed. "Anyway, let's see if Brackenflight will play with us."

The three kits trotted over to Brackenflight, who was returning from patrol. "Brackenflight, come play with us!" Brightkit begged, her eyes shining.

The broad-shouldered warrior dropped his prey and gazed at the three kits. "Oh, alright," he purred. He grabbed a moss ball from inside the nursery and tossed it at the kits.

Sootkit darted in front and grabbed the moss between two paws. Adderkit, using his weight to his advantage, threw himself on top of his sister until she collapsed, and snatched the moss from her grasp.

Adderkit charged across the camp with Sootkit and Brightkit in hot pursuit. Sootkit's lean body helped her speed up and strategically dart underneath her brother and grab the moss. She then tossed it to Brightkit, who darted into the nursery, screeching with triumph. "I win!"

Adderkit and Sootkit skidded to a halt, panting. "Good game!" Sootkit purred. She padded over to her father, Brackenflight. "Thank you. You can go do you warrior duties now." She waved her tail dismissively.

Brackenflight twitched his ears curiously before trotting quickly away.

Sootkit sat down and curled her tail around her paws, thinking. She was interrupted by Adderkit. "Sootkit, have you decided yet?"

Sootkit lifted her head to meet her brother's gaze. "Yes. I will do it."

Adderkit gently nudged her to her paws and guided her inside the nursery. Reedwing looked up. "Are you going to become Mousepool's apprentice?" she asked excitedly.

Sootkit nodded. "I think I will. I'll go see if I can help her."

"You know," Reedwing murmured, "your mother was a medicine cat. You're following in her pawsteps."

Sootkit let out a happy purr before padding out of the den. She entered Mousepool's den, making the medicine cat look up from her work. "Hello, Sootkit. Have you decided?"

"Yes," Sootkit meowed confidently. "I will become your apprentice."

Mousepool nodded nonchalantly. "I look forward to training you."

"Well, I'll become six moons tomorrow. I suppose you can start training me then."

"Good," Mousepool purred. "Have a good evening, Sootkit."

The black kit nodded and trotted out of the den, the orange glow of the sunset shining on her pelt.

The sun was long gone, and the moon was emerging from behind the ridge by LeafClan. Reedwing was urging the three kits into their nests. "Long day tomorrow. You're becoming apprentices!"

Sootkit curled into her nest, watching Brightkit- a stronger, less sick Brightkit- climb into her own nest.

Adderkit was sinking into his nest and closing his luminous amber eyes. Sootkit gazed at him, seeing Brackenflight in every hair on his pelt.

Sootkit finally closed her icy eyes, wondering how it will be to be a medicine cat. Sleep finally overtook her, taking her into its soft paws.

She woke in a clearing, surrounded by herbs she recognized. Coltsfoot, borage, feverfew, thyme, mallow…

Sootkit sat up, bounded over to the plentiful plants, and buried her muzzle in the leaves, knowing how much Mousepool needed these.

"Hello, Sootkit," a voice murmured. The black kit straightened up and looked around. A StarClan cat was drifting down from the sky. She met the spirit's gaze. "Hello. Who are you?" she asked.

"My name's Leafpool," the cat purred. "I was ThunderClan's medicine cat, long ago. You know how ThunderClan became SunClan, right?"

Sootkit nodded. "Of course."

"I've come here to tell you that you _have_ to be a medicine cat," Leafpool hissed, her eyes fierce. "You already know so much. You were like me. I always liked helping my Clanmates. We have a prophecy for you, but we won't tell you yet. You're too young."

Sootkit stared at the ancient medicine cat with shock. "O-okay," she meowed. "I already said I wanted to be a medicine cat."

Leafpool relaxed. "I know," she mewed softly. "You're going to be great. Good luck, Sootkit." With that, Leafpool faded and she found herself in the nursery once more.

Sootkit sat up and twisted to groom her black pelt, making it sleek and glossy. The other two kits were doing the same in their own nests. Reedwing was gazing at them with pride. "Oh, you three will be great cats. I'll never forget when you were tiny little one-moon-old kits!"

Sootkit nodded briskly and walked out of the den. The cats were already gathering in the clearing and gazed proudly at the kits as they emerged into the open.

Amberstar was already standing on the Highledge. "Would all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Sootkit instinctively padded forward, and the cats sat in a semicircle with the three kits standing in the middle.

Mousepool looked on, her eyes shining.

"Brightkit, from now until your warrior name is chosen, you will be known as Brightpaw. Brackenflight will be your mentor."

Brackenflight stood up, looking delighted at being chosen for an apprentice. He paced forward and touched noses with Brightpaw.

"Adderkit! From now until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Adderpaw. Pinefang will be your mentor."

Pinefang bounded down the pile of rocks that led up to the Highledge, and touched noses with his new apprentice.

"And finally, Sootkit. Your new name will be Sootpaw. Mousepool has told me you're interested in being a medicine cat."

Sootpaw nodded. "I am, Amberstar."

"Then Mousepool will be your mentor. I hope she passes down everything she knows to you."

Behind them, the Clan was cheering their names. "Brightpaw! Adderpaw! Sootpaw!"

Amberstar stood, raising his tail for silence. "Meeting dismissed," he meowed.

The cats dispersed. Mousepool limped toward her new apprentice and rested her tail on Sootpaw's shoulder. "Come," she urged. "There's a lot I need to teach you."

Sootpaw followed Mousepool into the medicine den. Overwhelming scents flooded her nose and she sneezed.

"Sorry," Mousepool purred, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I took out all the herbs to teach you."

"Okay," Sootpaw mewed, sniffling. "Are you going to teach the whole line today?"

"I hope to," Mousepool replied. "Then we'll go over it every day so the herbs are imprinted in your mind."

The black she-cat nodded. "Very well. I can probably name a few of these."

"Yes, you can." The crippled medicine cat pointed to an herb with furry leaves. "What's that?"

"It's borage, of course. It's for curing fever and helping queens' milk come," she replied promptly.

"Wow!" Mousepool meowed, amazed. "Okay. What's this?" She gestured to the next one in the line, an herb with tiny leaves and an aromatic scent.

"It looks like thyme," Sootpaw ventured. "It's for calming shocked cats.

"Precisely," Mousepool murmured. "The next one is…" She trailed off. The medicine cat honestly didn't know what this one was.

 _It's goldenrod!_ Leafpool hissed inside Sootpaw's head. She blinked her icy eyes. "It's goldenrod," she mumbled. "I think it's to… oh! Cure wounds!"

Mousepool stared at her. "H-how did you know that?"

"I… I just guessed?" Sootpaw mewed.

"Well, I was right. You do take after your mother," Mousepool murmured wistfully. "I miss her."

The day was coming to an end. Sootpaw had learned a lot that day. The lithe black she-cat emerged from the medicine den and trotted over to Adderpaw. "So, how was your first day?" she asked.

Adderpaw turned around. "Oh, just wonderful! I got to see all the territories, and learned how to set border markers."

Sootpaw nodded, padded over to the fresh-kill pile, and tugged a vole out of it. Her mouth watered at the tantalizing scent of the warm meat.

She carried it over to Brightpaw, who was eating a mouse at the side of the camp. "Hello, Brightpaw. How was your first day?" she asked the cream apprentice.

Brightpaw looked up with a mouthful of mouse. "Hi, Sootpaw! It was great. I got to learn battle moves! What about you?"

"I learned about herbs," Sootpaw replied. "Mousepool said she'll train me in battle soon."

"Hm," Brightpaw grunted. "That's good."

Sootpaw took a huge bite out of her vole, swallowing it quickly. She purred with delight as the warmth of fresh food spread through her body. Sootpaw devoured the rest in a matter of moments, and trotted quickly back to the medicine den.

Mousepool looked up to see Sootpaw slipping quietly into her new nest. She looked over at her apprentice. "Sootpaw! Are you going to sleep without saying goodnight?"

Sootpaw started. "Sorry. Goodnight, Mousepool."

Mousepool huffed with exasperation. "Goodnight."

Sootpaw curled her tail over her nose and closed her ice-blue eyes.

Mousepool watched her apprentice, unable to look away from the she-cat's lithe body and smooth, sleek pelt. She blinked and looked away, her fur heating up. _Do I like her? No, of course not._

Mousepool curled up as well, snuggling down into the warm moss of her nest.

Sootpaw's fur prickled uncomfortably. _Is some cat watching me?_ She looked up, but nothing. The black apprentice rested her head back onto her paws, trying to fall asleep.

She woke by the lake. The lean apprentice blinked, standing up. A squirrel darted in front of her, and she took off after it. The squirrel stumbled, and Sootpaw caught it. She quickly nipped its spine, and the prey fell limp in her paws. _Is this what it feels like to be a warrior?_ she wondered.

Her dream faded around her, and Sootpaw was roused by Mousepool nudging her flank with a paw.

"Okay, keep your fur on," Sootpaw grumbled. "I don't like mornings."

Mousepool rumbled with amusement. "Very well."

Sootpaw sat up and groomed her fur like she usually does. Mousepool watched her intently, once again admiring the she-cat's slim, supple body.

Sootpaw looked up, blinking away sleep from her icy eyes. "What are we doing today?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

Mousepool tore her gaze away from her apprentice. "We're going through the herbs again, then battle training."

Sootpaw shrugged. "Okay." She began to name all the herbs and what they were used for.

At about sunhigh, Mousepool put the herbs away. "It's battle training time," she announced. "Get ready."

Sootpaw raised each paw to flex her claws, then cleaned off the herb dust from her pelt. She was aware of her mentor watching her. She blinked, looking up. "Mousepool? You've been acting weird lately."

Mousepool shook her head quickly. "Nothing. Come on, let's go."

Sootpaw followed her mentor out of the camp and into one of the many clearings surrounding it.

Mousepool halted and spun around to face her apprentice. "Okay. So, you're going to try to get past me and capture those ferns over there. Okay?"

"Yes, Mousepool," Sootpaw meowed, squaring her shoulders.

The two cats crouched in the attack position. Sootpaw darted to one side, then the other.

Mousepool watched Sootpaw, admiring the black she-cat's agility and speed. She was so distracted, she didn't even know what was happening until Sootpaw let out a triumphant screech. "I did it!"

Mousepool blinked. "Wow, you're fast! Let's try another one."

Sootpaw gazed at Mousepool questioningly for a heartbeat before shrugging. "Okay. What do I do?"

"You rise up on your hind paws like this." Mousepool tried to stretch up, but failed because of her crippled hind leg.

Sootpaw stretched out a paw to steady the other she-cat. "Slow down. Let me do it."

Mousepool's fur tingled under Sootpaw's touch. "O-okay. Okay. You try."

Sootpaw rose up on her strong hind legs and battered the air with unsheathed claws.

Mousepool nodded approvingly. "I think that's good for today. Come on, let's get back to camp. It's the half-moon tonight, so we'll go to the Moonlit Clearing."

Sootpaw's eyes shone. "Yay! I can't wait to meet the other medicine cats!"

Mousepool let out an amused purr as she led the way back to the camp.

Sootpaw trotted along behind her mentor, nodding to Brightpaw as she returned from patrol.

They disappeared into the medicine den. Sootpaw stretched out on her nest, sighing contently. "That was fun," she breathed.

Mousepool stood on the other side of the den, sweeping herb fragments to the side with her tail. "It was," she agreed.

The crippled medicine cat finished her work and sank into her nest, letting out a tiny gasp of pain.

Sootpaw heard the gasp and looked over at her mentor, ears perking up. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yes. My leg's just a little stiff," Mousepool responded, secretly delighted at being fussed over by the pretty medicine cat apprentice.

Silently, Sootpaw settled next to her mentor and ran her paws over the crippled leg. She then massaged the muscles rhythmically, carefully watching Mousepool's reaction.

Mousepool released a sigh as the tension in her muscles ebbed away. "Thanks, Sootpaw. That feels better."

Sootpaw leaned down and began to rasp her tongue over Mousepool's crippled leg. The brown tabby medicine cat shifted around, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

Sootpaw looked up anxiously. "Am I doing something wrong?"

"No," Mousepool sighed. "Just- no cat has ever fussed over me like this."

Sootpaw leaned back down and continued. Mousepool forced herself to keep still, her eyes tightly shut. She imagined how Sootpaw's tongue would feel grazing against her cheek, neck fur, or between her ears.

Sootpaw finished and sat up, curling her long black tail over her paws. Mousepool opened her eyes, never liking one cat so much in her life. "Thank you," she meowed gratefully, trying not to make her voice shake.

Sootpaw dipped her head. "It's nothing. Do you need any herbs collected?"

Mousepool shivered. "N-no. No, thanks."

Sootpaw fixed her mentor with a steady gaze. "You're acting awfully weird. You can tell me, you know. I'll take a secret to StarClan if I have to."

Mousepool's eyes scanned over Sootpaw's lean frame with hunger. "Sootpaw," she growled, "you're the prettiest she-cat I've ever seen. I love you so much, Sootpaw." She shuddered from nose to tail-tip.

Sootpaw didn't flinch. She didn't move. Mousepool's need grew stronger as she admired Sootpaw again.

"Mousepool," Sootpaw meowed at last, "I knew you were acting weird." She watched Mousepool shiver with need again. "Do you really love me that much?"

"Great StarClan, yes!" Mousepool yowled. "Press your fur against mine, Sootpaw!"

The black she-cat pressed against her mentor, feeling the other she-cat shudder at her touch. She twined her tail with Mousepool's.

Mousepool let out a long sigh, her needs fulfilled. "I love you so much, Sootpaw."

Sootpaw stretched out her neck to press her cheek to Mousepool's. "I love you too, Mousepool."

"I'm so sorry, Sootpaw. I don't know what came over me." she admitted, her fur slightly ruffled.

"Yeah," Sootpaw sighed. "But still, we can go to the Moonlit Clearing tonight, right?"

Mousepool nodded, amusement glowing in her green eyes. She looked more like a mentor again.

Sootpaw stood up and settled in her own nest, right before Pinefang looked into the den. "Are you guys okay? I heard yowling."

"Yes, we're fine," Sootpaw meowed smoothly. "We're just excited about the half-moon medicine cat meeting tonight."

Pinefang nodded and padded away.

Sootpaw let out an amused purr, twisting to smooth her ruffled black fur.

Mousepool shuffled around, giddiness bubbling up inside her. But it felt even better to release her secret.

The black she-cat gazed around the den awkwardly. The silence was almost unbearable. "This is awkward," Sootpaw confessed.

Mousepool looked over at her. "I agree," she purred.

"Why… why don't we just forget the past few moments?" Sootpaw suggested, her fur heating up.

Mousepool smiled lightly, twitching her ears. "Okay."

Sootpaw stood up and padded out of the den. She saw Adderpaw sharing a rabbit with their father Brackenflight. She bounded over to the two toms. "Hi, Adderpaw!"

Adderpaw looked up. "Oh, hi, Sootpaw. How's your training?"

"It's great. Mousepool taught me some battle moves."

"That's good," Brackenflight put in. "You both are trying hard, and that's what matters."

Sootpaw nodded and trotted away. She couldn't rid her mind of what happened with Mousepool. She didn't know cats could feel love so strongly. Her fur spiked up with the thought. Sootpaw selected a mouse from the fresh-kill pile and ate it in three bites.

Mousepool padded out of the medicine den and jumped with surprise as she saw Sootpaw. "Oh, er-." She paused. "Hi, Sootpaw."

Sootpaw nodded to her mentor as calmly as she could. She knew that Mousepool was gazing over her body, but the apprentice was used to it by now. It was now that Sootpaw began to admire Mousepool's gentle tabby markings and her luminous green eyes.

Mousepool guided her into the medicine den. "We need to talk," she had hissed.

"This is just weird," Mousepool murmured.

"Yeah," Sootpaw agreed with a sigh. "Now that it's out, we just have to… go with it."

"I love you a lot, Sootpaw," Mousepool meowed. "I like the other side of you, the fiercely loving side."

Sootpaw kept still, gazing out of the den entrance. "I love you too, Mousepool. I like how you're so straightforward."

Mousepool began to get that feeling again, in that place that craved the touch of fur against her own. The place that craved a tongue rasping over her cheek. The place where the burning heat of her love for Sootpaw lived. She wanted Sootpaw, and she was going to tell her.

"Sootpaw, I need the touch of your fur. The rasping of your tongue on my cheek. I need you, Sootpaw!" she meowed, flattening her ears.

Sootpaw let out a growl. "Me too, Mousepool." She stood up and pressed fiercely against her mentor. Their fur touched, brown against black. Mousepool rested her head on her paws so Sootpaw could press her cheek against Mousepool's.

Mousepool purred. "Thank you, Sootpaw."

Sootpaw gently pulled away and began licking her mentor's neck. She felt Mousepool shudder softly. "Just relax," she cooed.

"Sorry," Mousepool breathed. "I-I just, really wanted that."

The two she-cats fell silent. All that could be heard was the sound of a tongue rasping against fur. Mousepool decided to break the silence. "We should get going if we want to be there on time."

Sootpaw stood up, her ears flicking. "Okay."

They left the den, then the camp, and began to pad along the LeafClan border. They scrambled up the slope and finally reached the Moonlit Clearing. The medicine cats from LeafClan and PoolClan were there.

"We're just waiting for Tinyleaf," the medicine cat from LeafClan, Breezestep, mewed. Tinyleaf was the medicine cat from DarkClan.

A few moments later, Tinyleaf could be heard scrambling up the rocky slope just like they did. "Tinyleaf!" Mousepool greeted warmly. "We've been waiting."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Tinyleaf panted. "One of my Clanmates had an infected thorn in his paw."

"No worries," Breezestep meowed. "Let's get to dreaming."

"Just a moment," Mousepool meowed. "I must present my new apprentice to StarClan."

Sootpaw instinctively crept forward. "Hello," she mewed shyly.

"Warriors of StarClan, I present to you this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Sootpaw, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

Sootpaw nodded. "It is."

"Then come forward."

The moon rose above the trees and washed the clearing in moonlight. All the medicine cats curled up on the short, soft grass and began to dream.

Sootpaw woke in the same clearing as before, the one surrounded with plentiful herbs. She resisted trying to collect them, though, because she knew that a StarClan cat would try to speak to her. The black she-cat looked up, and sure enough, Leafpool was floating down from the sky.

"Hello, Sootpaw," Leafpool murmured. "You're officially a medicine cat apprentice now, huh?"

"Yes," Sootpaw purred. "It's a lot of fun."

Leafpool sat down, her starry pelt beginning to get vaguer. "Love is a wonderful thing," she sighed, "but I made that mistake when I was young."

Sootpaw blinked questioningly. "You did?"

Leafpool lowered her head shamefully. "I had kits with a warrior from WindClan- you know it as LeafClan- once."

Sootpaw tilted her head. "Who was the warrior?"

Leafpool watched as a lean dark gray warrior emerged from the ferns. "This is Crowfeather," she meowed. "I loved him, and I still do."

Crowfeather dipped his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sootpaw. We know that Mousepool loves you, correct?"

Sootpaw fidgeted uncomfortably, not liking this topic. "Yeah, I guess she does."

"Well, you two can be together, just as long as it doesn't distract you from your duties. I think you will work well together in emergencies," Leafpool meowed logically.

"Okay," Sootpaw mewed, shrugging.

Leafpool leaned close to Crowfeather and twined her tail with his. "Good luck, Sootpaw," she murmured before fading away.

Sootpaw slowly opened her icy eyes. The other medicine cats were waking around her. Mousepool sat up with a slightly guilty look on her face. _Did she have the same dream as me?_ she wondered, tipping her head to one side.

"Well, goodbye, Pebblefoot and Fuzzypaw." Sootpaw could hear Breezestep's voice from across the clearing.

A gray tom nodded. "Goodbye, Breezestep. May StarClan light your path." He padded off with Fuzzypaw trotting along behind.

Mousepool limped over to her. "Come on, Sootpaw. Let's go."

The two medicine cats left the clearing. Tinyleaf and Breezestep stayed behind, chatting about remedies for infections.

Sootpaw trotted along beside her mentor in silence. She couldn't hold back a yawn.

"You're tired," Mousepool observed. "Of course you are. It's almost dawn."

Sootpaw kept her eyes fixed ahead of her. Her eyes were dull and weariness showed in every movement. Finally they reached the camp, and they slipped inside their den quietly.

The black she-cat curled up in her nest, and almost immediately fell asleep. She heard Mousepool settling in her own nest right before sleep washed over her.

She woke to Pinefang yowling. "Sootpaw! Are you available? Adderpaw's hurt!"

Sootpaw sat up drowsily. "Yes, where's- oh, Mousepool's gone! Okay, what happened to him?"

"He… he fell from a tree when we were doing tree training!" Pinefang meowed sadly, his gaze horrified. "Will he be okay?"

"He should be," Sootpaw growled, hastily grabbing the herbs she would need. _Comfrey, thyme, cobwebs, bindweed…_

She ran after the deputy, her jaws stuffed with herbs, until they came to a tall tree with a broken body lying underneath. She crept over to Adderpaw. Her brother weakly turned his head. "Oh, Sootpaw. My leg hurts," he moaned.

Sootpaw rolled the golden brown tom over to reveal his foreleg, which was swelled up and sore. She carefully straightened his leg with a gasp of pain from the tom.

Sootpaw dropped the herbs she was carrying and chewed up some comfrey root. She ran her paws over Adderpaw's leg to feel for heat. His leg was warm.

Sootpaw spread the poultice in the fur. Adderpaw let out a little sigh of relief. She then bound his leg with cobweb first, then bindweed. "Okay," she meowed. "That should do it. You're going to have to come to the medicine den, though."

The young apprentice was trembling with shock. Sootpaw dropped a sprig of thyme beside him, the last of the herbs she brought. "Eat, then we'll take you back to camp," she urged firmly.

Adderpaw quickly ate the thyme, then Pinefang took his apprentice onto his back. Adderpaw was too exhausted to object, so he kept still. Sootpaw followed them, carefully watching Adderpaw to make sure he didn't slip off Pinefang's back.

They arrived back at the medicine den, and Sootpaw directed for Pinefang to drop his apprentice into a spare nest they had. Sootpaw carefully positioned her brother so he was comfortable. Adderpaw looked at her gratefully. "Thank you, Sootpaw. You saved my life."

Sootpaw flicked her ears briskly. "I'm not sure about _that_. Now, get some rest."

Adderpaw obediently closed his amber eyes, and his breathing slowed within moments.

Mousepool crept into the den, looking quizzically at her apprentice. "Adderpaw was hurt? What happened?"

"Sh," Sootpaw mewed. "He fell from a tree and hurt his leg. I helped him."

"Good job," Mousepool praised. "It looks great."

Sootpaw snorted with laughter. "It was easy. I'm going back to sleep now."

Mousepool settled beside her. "Not so fast," she purred playfully. She pressed against Sootpaw, licking the top of her apprentice's head, between her ears.

Sootpaw purred with laughter and squirmed as her mentor licked her ticklish spot.

Mousepool pressed her cheek to her apprentice's, twining her tail with Sootpaw's. She lay very still, letting Sootpaw lean against her as she fell asleep.

"Sootpaw? Sootpaw?"

Sootpaw woke to her brother calling her. She blinked her ice-blue eyes. "Oh, Adderpaw! What's wrong?"

Adderpaw's face was twisted with pain. "My leg," he gasped.

Sootpaw scrambled out of the nest, carefully pulling away from Mousepool. Luckily Adderpaw didn't say anything about it. She deftly sliced off the dressings on Adderpaw's leg and drew a sharp breath in. "I'll… I'll ask Mousepool."

Sootpaw gently shook Mousepool awake. The brown tabby she-cat leaped to her paws. "What's wrong?"

Sootpaw flicked her tail at the injured apprentice. "His leg… something's wrong."

Mousepool padded closer, examining the swollen leg. "It looks like there might have been a broken bone," she observed.

Sootpaw lowered her head. "Oh, I should have known, Adderpaw!"

Adderpaw blinked at his sister, fighting back the pain. "It's okay," he whispered.

"Okay," Mousepool meowed decisively, "Sootpaw, get some poppy seeds to ease the pain. Adderpaw, you need to try to keep still."

Sootpaw returned with a few tiny black seeds on her pad. "Lick them up, Adderpaw, and try to relax," she ordered firmly.

Adderpaw stared at his sister with a gaze full of horror. "O-okay…" he mewed, licking up the seeds and closing his eyes.

Mousepool planted one paw on Adderpaw's leg and the other on his flank. Sootpaw watched carefully in case she had to do this again.

Mousepool moved the paw that was on Adderpaw's leg in a quick movement, hearing a snap as the bone was shifted into its proper place. Adderpaw let out a scream of pain, his eyes shooting open. The pain faded from his leg slowly.

Adderpaw let out a tiny sigh of relief, closing his eyes once more.

Sootpaw chewed up some more comfrey root and spread the poultice on Adderpaw's leg once more. She didn't put cobweb on it this time, it would just keep the heat in.

Mousepool had already curled back into her nest. "Herbs are plentiful right now," she murmured, gazing over the herb piles.

Sootpaw curled into her own nest, watching Adderpaw sleep. Her black tail-tip flicked back and forth boredly. "I'm not tired," she sighed.

Mousepool lifted her head blearily. "You aren't? Well, I guess it is past sunhigh."

Adderpaw stirred, his amber eyes opening. "Sootpaw? My… my leg doesn't hurt anymore." His voice was filled with wonder. "How did you do that?"

"I didn't do that," Sootpaw protested. "Mousepool did most of it."

Adderpaw stretched out in his nest comfortably. "Can I go now?" he asked Mousepool.

Mousepool flicked her ears. "If you can walk with no pain, which won't be for a while yet."

Adderpaw lowered his head. "How long?"

"For about a quarter moon," Sootpaw chimed in. "But I can teach you about herbs and help you strengthen your leg if you want."

Adderpaw brightened, letting out a purr. "Really? Oh, Sootpaw, thank you!"

"But," Mousepool interrupted, "you have to sleep in the apprentices' den. It's much too crowded in here."

Adderpaw frowned. "I guess, but-." He was cut off by Mousepool slapping her tail across his muzzle. "No buts," she meowed sternly.

Adderpaw nodded quietly and Mousepool removed her tail from his muzzle. "You can go for today, but let Sootpaw support you, okay?"

Sootpaw shoved her shoulder underneath Adderpaw's and helped him up. He hopped along beside the black she-cat until they arrived at the apprentices' den. Sootpaw let him flop down into a nest. "Don't thank me," she growled before darting away.

She barged into the medicine den, her anger evaporating as she saw Mousepool. "Hello," she greeted, settling in her nest.

Mousepool's eyes met hers, green to blue. "You don't have to say that every time you walk in the den."

Sootpaw shrugged, not looking away. "It's nice to do."

Mousepool settled on her side, stretching her forepaws over the side of her nest.

Sootpaw let out a purr, standing up and walking over to her mentor's nest. She pressed her fur to Mousepool's lovingly. "Why did you kick Adderpaw out of the den?" she asked quietly, her paws shuffling in the moss.

"I… I wanted to spend more time with you," Mousepool replied, ducking her head.

Sootpaw rested her chin on Mousepool's head and licked between her mentor's ears, making the brown she-cat shiver. She paused her licking. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Mousepool breathed. "I'm ticklish."

Sootpaw kept licking, watching Mousepool's reaction. Her rough tongue scraped over her mentor's fur repeatedly, Mousepool's ears twitching.

"I'd… I'd give my last drop of blood to save your life," Mousepool mewed softly. "I'd protect you for as long as I could."

Sootpaw moved her licking to Mousepool's cheek. The brown she-cat shut her eyes tightly. "Stop," she ordered her apprentice.

Sootpaw quickly pulled away, looking alarmed. "What happened?"

Mousepool opened her green eyes. "Nothing," she purred. "You can't do all the work."

Sootpaw tucked her forepaws under her chest and let Mousepool smooth her neck, back, and head fur. After a little while, Mousepool removed her tongue from Sootpaw's fur with satisfaction.

Sootpaw sat up, blinking with gratitude. "Thank you. May I go check on Adderpaw now?"

Mousepool flicked her tail, looking a bit annoyed. "I suppose."

Sootpaw rose to her paws and trotted out of the medicine den and into the apprentices'. She saw Brightpaw curled next to Adderpaw, her fur pressed against his. She blinked with surprise. "Adderpaw, I came to check on your leg," she mewed, trying not to notice.

Adderpaw looked up at his sister. "Okay. The pain's almost gone now."

Brightpaw shifted out of the way, looking slightly embarrassed. "Hello, Sootpaw."

The lean black apprentice nodded politely to her friend. "Hello."

Sootpaw weaved among the moss on the floor until she reached her brother. She sat down and gently moved the injured leg into view. She softly looked up at Adderpaw. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked worriedly.

Adderpaw met his sister's piercing ice-blue gaze. "I'm okay. Do you think I can hunt again?"

Sootpaw leaned closer, examining her brother's injured leg. "I think so. It'll just take a while to heal."

Adderpaw cast a glance at Brightpaw, who was watching Sootpaw with fascination.

"I just think you should stay in your nest, Adderpaw," she advised him, sitting back on her haunches. "I haven't talked with you guys in forever! What's up?"

Brightpaw fumbled for words. "It's… it's good, Sootpaw. What… what about you?"

Sootpaw met her friend's gaze with confidence. "Medicine training," she meowed, shrugging.

Brightpaw nodded. "I've been learning a lot from Brackenflight," she mewed, her amber eyes wide. "He's a great teacher."

Adderpaw shifted around to get more comfortable. "Pinefang's a good teacher, too."

Sootpaw flicked her ears approvingly. "You two will make great warriors."

Brightpaw ducked her head and spoke in a low voice. "Sootpaw, can I talk with you for a moment?" Glancing at Adderpaw, she added, "in private."

Adderpaw looked embarrassed. "Should I move?"

"No," Sootpaw replied with authority. "We'll go outside."

The two she-cats padded out of the den and sat on the side of the clearing, in the shade of some rocks. Sootpaw settled with her long tail curled over her paws. "Yes?"

Brightpaw ducked her head lower, making Sootpaw frown. "What is it, Brightpaw? You have me worried."

"Er…" Brightpaw lifted her head, but fixed her gaze on her paws, unable to meet Sootpaw's icy eyes. "I-I like you, Sootpaw."

Sootpaw let out a long sigh. Shaking her head quickly, she met her friend's terrified amber gaze. "Well, I've had that before. I don't know what to say, Brightpaw… I thought you liked Adderpaw."

Brightpaw closed her eyes. "I've been pretending to like him… he said he liked me, and I like you, so I… I did what I had to do…"

Sootpaw's eyes sharpened. "You should at least _tell_ him. The truth, I mean. Anyway, Mousepool likes me too."

Brightpaw's tail drooped. "I… I knew it. You're taken…"

"No, Brightpaw, you mean a lot to me. I would gladly be your mate, but… I've told Mousepool that once I get my full name, I'd be her mate," Sootpaw mewed, casting her gaze down as well.

Brightpaw nodded, trying to look nonchalant, but miserably failed. Sootpaw stretched out her tail and curled it around Brightpaw's shoulders. "Don't be sad," she whispered in Brightpaw's ear, a hint of a purr in her mew.

The cream-furred apprentice blinked. "What?"

Sootpaw rested her head against Brightpaw's. "I never said I couldn't do this, hm?"

Brightpaw let out a purr. "I suppose… but won't the other cats see us?"

Sootpaw was suddenly aware of the various warriors milling around in the clearing, staring at the others. She stiffened, worrying that someone had seen them. She quickly flinched away from Brightpaw, worry sparking in her gaze.

Brightpaw was trying to act nonchalant, trying to act like… normal friends. Sootpaw sat like she usually did, her head held high and her tail curled over her paws. She desperately tried to look casual as Brackenflight approached, his gaze fixed on Brightpaw.

"Brightpaw! There you are," Brackenflight called, speeding up to meet the two she-cats. "I've been looking all over for you. I thought you were hunting."

Sootpaw nodded politely to her father. "Hello, Brackenflight."

Brackenflight let out a short purr before turning back to his apprentice. "We're going battle training with Rainstripe."

Brightpaw stood and followed her mentor out of the hollow, leaving Sootpaw alone. The black she-cat padded back into the medicine den.

"Sootpaw! Great StarClan, did it take you _that long_ to check on Adderpaw's leg?"

Sootpaw forced herself to keep a calm voice. "Yes. I talked with Brightpaw and Adderpaw. I barely get to see them anymore."

Hurt flashed in Mousepool's green eyes. "Isn't talking with me good enough for you?"

Sootpaw sat down in her nest and lowered her gaze. "I don't really know," she mewed. "You're… a great cat, but I'm not sure anymore, Mousepool."

The brown tabby she-cat closed her eyes in pain, curling into her nest and refusing to make any contact with Sootpaw.

"I'm really sorry, Mousepool. I thought I loved you, I really did… but I love someone else now…"

Mousepool slowly lifted her head. "I… understand, I think. I was never good enough for you. I should have known that."

Sootpaw shook her head vehemently. "No, Mousepool! You're so nice and caring. It's just… I love someone else. You'll always be my mentor, and I'll always be your apprentice. Nothing, nothing in the world, will change that."

Mousepool turned away from Sootpaw, dismay showing in every movement she made. The black-furred apprentice sighed, leaned forward and licked the back of Mousepool's neck.

"I'm sorry, Mousepool. I thought the truth would be best for both of us."

The brown tabby she-cat curled her tail over her paws, lowering her head.

Sootpaw choked with emotion, quickly hurrying out of the den. She approached the apprentices' den and mewed a flat hello to Adderpaw.

Adderpaw tilted his broad golden brown head. "What's wrong, Sootpaw?"

"Mousepool's mad at me." Well, that wasn't entirely false. "Do you know where Brightpaw is?"

"She's out training with Brackenflight. Did… did she tell you that I… liked her?" Adderpaw asked worriedly.

Sootpaw moved closer to her brother, her eyes shining with apprehension. "She did. She'll get mad at me for telling you this, but I can't hide secrets from my own brother. Promise you won't tell _anyone?_ "

Adderpaw stretched out his injured leg, then leaned down to rasp his tongue over the injury. "I promise."

"She… she said that she was pretending to like you, because... because she said she liked _me._ "

Adderpaw paused his licking and stared up at his sister. "What? That's insane!"

Sootpaw rolled onto her side, her tail swishing over the side of the unused nest. "I know," she mewed. "She really did say that."

Adderpaw blinked, his eyes slowly gaining hatred.

Sootpaw let out a gasp of horror. "Adderpaw, no! You can't immediately hate her! Please," she begged, "talk it out with her."

Adderpaw took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay. But I'll be mad…"

"Don't be too hard on her, Adderpaw. Love is a beautiful thing."

Adderpaw closed his eyes with pain. "I loved her. She said she loved me. Brightpaw's a liar!"

Sootpaw thrust her muzzle close to her brother's face. "You better not say that to her face," she hissed. "She can get support, and especially from me, so watch your tongue."

Adderpaw let out a low growl. "Fine. If you see her, tell her I'm looking for her."

Sootpaw nodded curtly and bounded quickly out of the den, anger still boiling in her blood. She stomped across the clearing before she was stopped by Amberstar.

"Sootpaw! Why are you so mad?" he asked softly, resting his tail on her shoulder.

Sootpaw let out a long sigh. "Reasons. Just leave me alone."

Amberstar quietly walked away. _At least someone listens to me in this Clan,_ Sootpaw thought bitterly.

She continued across the clearing and entered the medicine den. Mousepool was sorting herbs at the side of the den and blinked at her apprentice, her eyes dull. "Can you sort these for me?" she whispered before stumbling back to her nest.

Sootpaw sat down and spread out the leaves, quickly placing them in their piles, then stored the piles in the rock. She left the den, tension crackling in the air. Brightpaw was returning from training, looking tired. She bounded over to her friend, happy for once. "Brightpaw! Adderpaw wants to talk to you, in the apprentices' den." She paused, leaned closer to the other apprentice, and added, "It's definitely not good."

Brightpaw blinked her beautiful amber eyes. "Okay." 

"I told him not to be too harsh, I hope he listens." Sootpaw sighed, her eyes glowing with worry.

Brightpaw nodded, her neck fur fluffing out, and padded slowly toward the apprentices' den. Sootpaw followed her, blending into the shadows with the help of her dark pelt. She sat beside the wall of the apprentices' den and pressed her ear to the wall to eavesdrop. Adderpaw was glaring at Brightpaw, his fur fluffed up as well.

"Brightpaw, you told me you loved me." Adderpaw's voice was a soft, menacing growl.

"I know! I made a mistake," she sighed, dipping her head. "I like Sootpaw now."

"She told me that. Now how can I trust you when you betrayed me?"

Sootpaw felt her jaw drop. _He really said that?_

"Please trust me, Adderpaw! I promise I won't lie to you ever again!" Her voice was desperate. "Please! I don't have many friends in this Clan!"

Adderpaw let out a sigh, swishing his tail thoughtfully. "I suppose I can give you one last chance. Just _one._ "

Brightpaw's fur lay flat and blinked at the tom gratefully. "Thank you, Adderpaw." She turned and squeezed out of the den.

Sootpaw was relieved that the two had made up. She didn't like conflict at all. She quietly crept out from behind the apprentices' den and met Brightpaw in the center of the clearing.

"Hey, Brightpaw… I need to talk to you too. If you don't mind." She shrugged nonchalantly.

Brightpaw blinked with surprise. "S-sure. Over here?" She gestured to the shady spot under the rocks again.

"That's good," she purred, padding into the shade, relishing the coolness. Brightpaw settled beside her and gazed out at the camp.

"It's hot today," Brightpaw commented, rolling onto her side.

Sootpaw nodded, doing the same. "It's hotter when you have a dark pelt. You're lucky, Brightpaw!" she joked, laughter sparkling in her blue eyes.

Brightpaw gazed into her friend's eyes. "You're so nice, Sootpaw. That's why I like you," she purred.

Sootpaw paused for a moment. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Brightpaw gulped. "What?"

"I'll be your mate, Brightpaw," Sootpaw announced, keeping her voice low so no one would hear. The Clan was sharing tongues, it was sunset.

Brightpaw's beautiful amber eyes widened. "Really? Oh, Sootpaw, thank you!"

Sootpaw purred, warmth flooding into her icy gaze. "Come on, we'll share tongues and no one will notice."

Brightpaw's eyes lit with amusement. She was going to like this. The she-cats laid down on the grass beside the other cats. Sootpaw leaned forward and smoothed Brightpaw's neck fur. The cream-furred apprentice licked Sootpaw's back.

Blazestorm stared at the two she-cats before going over to Reedwing. The cream warrior blinked at her daughter and padded over to the pair.

"Hello, Brightpaw, Sootpaw!" Reedwing purred, sitting next to them.

Sootpaw looked up, Brightpaw did the same. "Hello, Reedwing," Sootpaw mewed politely, sitting up.

Blazestorm approached them and sat beside his mate. "How's your training, Sootpaw?" he asked, his tail curling around Reedwing's shoulders.

Sootpaw flicked her ears irritably, but carefully hid it from Brightpaw's parents. "It's good. Mousepool's a great teacher. I've learned a lot from her."

Reedwing nodded with approval. "That's great. I'm happy you're doing so well. Are you hanging around with Brightpaw very much?"

"Er… yeah, I am," Sootpaw mewed, grinning falsely.

"Sorry," Blazestorm interrupted apologetically. "We'll leave you two alone." He nudged Reedwing to her paws and led her away.

Brightpaw sighed with relief. "StarClan thank Blazestorm," she murmured.

Sootpaw rumbled with agreement. "Where were we?"

Brightpaw purred, going back to licking Sootpaw's sleek black fur.

The Clan was breaking up and heading for their dens. Sootpaw groaned with frustration and got up, her tail flicking angrily. Brightpaw rested her tail-tip on Sootpaw's shoulder. "Tomorrow," she whispered in Sootpaw's ear.

Sootpaw calmed down and walked Brightpaw to her den. "Goodnight," she mewed.

"Night," Brightpaw yawned.

Sootpaw turned and bounded back into the medicine den. Mousepool turned to face her apprentice, her ears flattened. "Came to yell at me, huh?"

Sootpaw jumped, startled. "N-no, I wasn't going to say anything."

"Sure," Mousepool scoffed.

"I don't want it to be like this!" Sootpaw meowed, her eyes wide and distraught.

Mousepool paused and stared into Sootpaw's eyes. "Oh, really? Then why did you say mean things to me?"

"I-I never!" Sootpaw protested.

Mousepool sighed, swishing her tail. "I suppose I exaggerated. I'm sorry I was so mean, Sootpaw. We'll just be, mentor and apprentice again…"

Sootpaw nodded, curling into her nest. She closed her icy eyes and let sleep overtake her.

.

The black she-cat woke the next morning. Mousepool was asleep beside her. She blinked away sleep and looked up into Brightpaw's wide amber eyes. Sootpaw jumped with surprise, but Brightpaw shoved her tail across the medicine apprentice's muzzle.

"Shh," Brightpaw whispered. "Come with me."

Sootpaw scrambled out of her nest and bounded out into the forest. The two she-cats' paws crunched on the pebbles of the lakeshore.

"I didn't want to wait until tonight to share tongues with you," Brightpaw explained. "So I thought we could share tongues before the Clan wakes up."

Sootpaw backed up the lakeshore until the grass met the pebbles. She laid down on the grass and watched the dawn light shine on the lake. Brightpaw settled beside her and began to groom Sootpaw's sleep-ruffled fur.

The two apprentices shared tongues silently for a while before they heard pawsteps coming through the forest. Sootpaw quickly sat up and curled her tail around her paws. "Someone's coming," she whispered frantically.

Brightpaw stiffened and did the same, gazing out at the lake. A patrol burst out of the ferns, Amberstar in the lead. Sootpaw quickly turned around. "Amberstar? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," Amberstar retorted. "We're the dawn patrol."

Brackenflight and Rabbitclaw followed their leader out onto the lakeshore.

Brightpaw stepped forward. "I love to see the dawn light on the lake. I was too scared to go alone, so I brought Sootpaw."

Amberstar snorted and led the patrol back through the forest, heading for the LeafClan border.

Sootpaw frowned. "We should get back to camp."

Brightpaw got up and followed the black she-cat through the forest and back to the camp. Sootpaw quietly slipped back into her den and into her nest. Mousepool was still asleep.

Meanwhile, Brightpaw walked into the apprentices' den. Adderpaw was awake, eating a mouse in his nest. He looked up at Brightpaw. 

"Hi, Brightpaw. I heard you get out of your nest early." His voice was suspicious.

"Yeah, I did. I like to see the dawn light on the lake," Brightpaw replied, curling back into her mossy nest.

Adderpaw was surprised. He thought Brightpaw would sneak out with Sootpaw, but no. "I like it too," he murmured, taking another bite from his mouse. "I hope my leg heals soon."

Brightpaw gazed over the edge of her nest at Adderpaw. "I hope so too. I have no apprentices to train with anymore, so I have to train with _Rabbitclaw._ " Her mew was laced with amusement.

Adderpaw rumbled with laughter. "It won't be long now."

Brightpaw huffed and fell silent, gazing out of the den entrance absently.

Back in the medicine den, Sootpaw was restless, gazing over the herb stores again and again and reciting the names and uses for them until Mousepool woke up.

The brown tabby she-cat groomed her fur and moved down to her crippled leg. She rasped her tongue over the scarred flesh a few times before looking up. "Morning, Sootpaw."

The black-furred apprentice pretended to blink sleep from her eyes. "Morning. It's almost sunhigh."

Mousepool rose to her paws and quickly scanned the herb stores. "We can do some battle and hunting training today. You've learned all the herbs I know, so why bother?"

Sootpaw nodded, unable to feel amusement. "Shall we start now?"

Mousepool nodded, leading her apprentice out of the den. They went into the forest and came to the mossy clearing, the place where ThunderClan cats trained when they still had that name.

Not waiting for an order, Sootpaw launched herself at her mentor, wrestling Mousepool to the ground, holding her with her forepaws, and battered Mousepool's belly with sheathed hind paws. She nimbly leaped off Mousepool and scurried up a tree.

Mousepool looked up at her apprentice in surprise. She didn't even see it coming until it hit her. "You're… doing great, Sootpaw. I'll teach you how to hunt now."

"Actually, Mousepool, I had a dream where I hunted. I'm sure I'll be fine."

The surprised expression on Mousepool's face was amazing. Sootpaw laughed and climbed the tree higher, quickly scenting a squirrel. She leaped gracefully up the branches, which were dipping slightly under her weight, and knocked the squirrel from the branch. It plummeted to the ground, the fall probably killing it. She leaped back down the tree, landing softly on the grass.

The fall had indeed killed the squirrel, and Sootpaw picked up her prize with a smug expression. Mousepool silently followed her apprentice back to camp.

As they came through the camp entrance, Brightpaw bounded up to her. "Sootpaw! Did you catch that?"

Sootpaw dropped her plump squirrel. "Yes, I did! It was easy," she purred, nudging it onto the fresh-kill pile.

Mousepool touched her muzzle to Sootpaw's head briefly. "Good work today," she murmured.

"Thanks," Sootpaw meowed flatly, watching Mousepool limp off to her den. She turned to Brightpaw and discreetly brushed her tail-tip along the cream she-cat's cheek. "Let's go hunting," she whispered.

Brightpaw bounded along at her side as their pelts swished through the ferns. The forest was bathed in the greenleaf lushness. Sootpaw paused, her ears perked. "I hear something!" she breathed, her voice barely audible.

Brightpaw's fur fluffed out excitedly. "It's a mouse."

Sootpaw crept through the ferns, her body falling smoothly into the hunters' crouch. She spotted the mouse, which was eating a seed from a nearby tree. The black she-cat leaped and caught the mouse between her forepaws. She cleanly nipped its spine and stood up straight, the mouse dangling from her jaws.

Brightpaw stood wide-eyed. "You're a natural, Sootpaw! You'd have been a great warrior. But you're a great medicine cat too!" she exclaimed, in awe.

"It's not too late to change," Sootpaw reminded her friend quietly.

Brightpaw nodded and padded to Sootpaw's side, letting their fur brush. "Are you really going to change?"

Sootpaw sat down, dropping the mouse. "I-I think so…"

Brightpaw curled her tail around Sootpaw's shoulders. "I'll support you, whatever decision you make," she whispered, barely a breath in Sootpaw's ear.

"I'll have to tell Mousepool. I'm sure she won't care. She's already mad at me, even if she doesn't show it."

"Come on," Brightpaw urged. "The faster we get back to camp, the faster you can start your warrior training."

Sootpaw picked up her mouse and hared away into the trees. Brightpaw purred with laughter and followed, lengthening her stride to catch up. They quickly reached the camp, and they padded in casually, Sootpaw dropping her mouse on the fresh-kill pile.

Brightpaw turned to murmur to her friend. "Just suck it up and tell Mousepool. She won't care, remember? Then we can tell Amberstar, okay?"

Sootpaw swallowed hard and walked into the medicine den. "Mousepool? I need to talk to you, it's urgent."

Mousepool looked up, a spark of hope in her eyes. Sootpaw ignored the pang inside her that told her she would be erasing Mousepool's tiny flicker of hope forever.

"I want to be a warrior," she announced, pushing away all feelings of doubt. This is what she wanted.

Mousepool closed her eyes in pain. "A-are you sure?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Yes, Mousepool, I'm sure."

Mousepool opened her eyes, her ears now flattened. "Why are you doing this? Do you have a grudge against me all of a sudden? What did I ever do to you?"

Sootpaw stayed calm, gazing confidently at Mousepool. "You did nothing to me. My wish is to be a warrior. So will you grant me that wish, or leave me in a world of sadness?"

"I… I suppose you can talk to Amberstar," Mousepool replied, the last glow of light leaving her eyes.

The black she-cat nodded politely and whisked out of her old den. She knew, with another pang of sadness, that she had broken Mousepool's heart forever. She flicked her tail at Brightpaw, and the cream apprentice came bounding over.

"Let's go to Amberstar now," Sootpaw murmured, bounding up the pile of rocks that led to the Highledge. She announced her arrival at the den with a stomp of her paw.

"Come in!" Amberstar called.

Sootpaw continued forward, facing the golden leader. "Hello. I have decided that I would like to become a warrior."

Amberstar tilted his head. "Okay. Have you asked Mousepool?"

"Yes, I have. She said it would be okay."

"Very well. Go tell Rabbitclaw that I said he's your mentor now," Amberstar meowed decisively, swishing his tail.

Sootpaw dipped her head and raced across the camp, Brightpaw bounding along beside her. They arrived at the warriors' den. Sootpaw poked her head in, scanning the sleeping cats. She spotted Rabbitclaw and quietly weaved among the cats until she reached the dusky brown warrior.

"Rabbitclaw?" she whispered, nudging him with a paw.

The young tom opened his green eyes. "Sootpaw? What are you doing in here?"

"Amberstar wanted to tell you that I'm your apprentice now."

Rabbitclaw got to his paws and led the way out of the den. "Very well. Would you like to start training now?"

Sootpaw followed, nodding to Brightpaw. "I… maybe tomorrow, instead. Is that okay?"

Rabbitclaw nodded. "It's fine. Go make yourself a nest in the apprentices' den.

Sootpaw shrugged, padding off with Brightpaw at her side. They went into the apprentices' den and Sootpaw shaped a nest with some of the moss and bracken.

Adderpaw looked at his sister questioningly. "Is Mousepool mad at you for something?" he asked.

"No," she responded firmly. "I decided to be a warrior apprentice. Rabbitclaw's my mentor."

Adderpaw nodded. "Cool- wait, then you can't heal me anymore?"

"I didn't say I couldn't heal you," Sootpaw pointed out quietly. "I… wanted to escape from Mousepool. She looks at me as if… she wants to kill me."

Brightpaw rested her tail-tip on her friend's shoulder. "I'm sure she doesn't want to _kill_ you. She's just… mad that you didn't like her after all."

Adderpaw sat up. "What? Mousepool liked you?"

Sootpaw sat down and curled her tail around her paws. "Yes. She did like me. A lot, and I mean a _lot._ It got a little creepy… so I ended it. She was so mad."

Brightpaw pressed her cheek to her friend's. "It must have been hard for her, but it was a little creepy."

Adderpaw sighed. "I think that's weird too... Maybe we could set up a guard each night so Mousepool doesn't, you know, come in and hurt Sootpaw."

"I don't think that'll be necessary. She isn't that treacherous, unless I've never noticed…" Sootpaw shuddered, for the first time feeling fear.

Brightpaw pressed against her friend comfortingly. "If she hurts you, we'll kill her, I promise."

Adderpaw frowned. "We can't kill our own Clan's medicine cat. Maybe we should tell Amberstar."

"I think," Sootpaw put in, "we should just go to sleep and worry about this tomorrow. I'm tired, and I have my first training session tomorrow morning."

"I agree!" Brightpaw purred, curling up in her nest. "I have training too."

Adderpaw sighed with exasperation. "I don't have training, and I'm not tired, so I'll just sit here, I guess?"

Sootpaw snorted. "You should at least get some rest, Adderpaw," she meowed, curling into her own nest.

Adderpaw sighed, carefully tucking his injured leg close to his body. "Fine. I will."

Sootpaw snuggled down into her nest and closed her eyes, already excited for the next day, when she would train as a warrior apprentice for the first time.

 **So, hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned for the next chapter. Make sure to leave a review.**


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